TO: Chair and Planning Commission
FROM: Jeremy Knapp, Community Development Director
Paul Michaud, Senior Planner
George Burton, Planner
DATE: May 7, 2019
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
Staff Contact George Burton, 480-348-3525
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Discussion of a proposed monument sign at the Ascension Lutheran Church - Minor Special Use Permit Amendment (SUP 19-03)
7100 N. Mockingbird Lane (APN: 174-51-033)
Body
Background
BACKGROUND
Request
Ascension Lutheran Church requests a Minor Amendment to the Special Use Permit (SUP) to replace an existing monument sign with a new monument sign.
§ Existing Monument Sign
The existing sign is located at the property line adjoining Mockingbird Lane. The existing sign is 10’ wide and 4’ tall. It is internally illuminated and identifies the name of the church and the time of the church service. The SUP stipulates: 1) that the sign illumination shall be turned off by 10 pm, except for special events, 2) new signage shall be no closer to the street than the existing sign, and 3) the sign letters shall be blue, to match the trim on the building.
§ New Monument Sign
The new monument sign will be placed in the same location as the existing sign and adjoins Mockingbird Lane. The sign is dual faced, 99.88 square feet in size, and is 8’4” tall. The monument sign consists of the following:
1. The top of the sign consists of non-illuminated zip letters. Zip letters are changeable letters used to create different content.
2. The middle or cabinet part of the sign is internally illuminated. This part of the sign identifies the church name and church logo. The color temperature will be limited to 3000 Kelvins and the illumination will be turned off by 10 pm, in accordance with the existing SUP stipulations.
However, staff has concern that this portion of the sign is not compliant with the Town’s lighting requirements. The church name and logo are surfaced with a translucent vinyl overlay and the Town code recommends that all lights sources be shielded with an opaque cover. The applicant states that the signage is compliant with the lighting code and the light source will not be visible, however, staff would like to discuss the opacity of the sign with the Planning Commission. The applicant also provided a photograph of an illuminated sign using the translucent vinyl overlay to demonstrate effectiveness of the vinyl. A copy of the photograph is included in the packet.
3. The base of the sign is non-illuminated and identifies the address and website of the church.
The sign will have several different colors. The middle or cabinet part of the sign will be painted Dunn Edwards DE 5187 Weathered Saddle and the top and base of the signs will be painted to match the color of the church.
History:
The SUP for the church was issued in 1977 and has been amended several times. The most recent amendment was approved in 2002 for parking and landscape improvements.
Body
DISCUSSION/FACTS
General Plan/Zoning
The subject property has a “Public/Quasi Public” General Plan designation and is zoned “Special Use Permit - Public/Quasi Public” for a religious facility.
Sign Criteria
Except for lighting of signs, there are no sign requirements for non-residential uses in the Town’s Zoning Ordinance. Instead, the Town has sign guidelines. For “Public/Quasi Public” uses, the guidelines for a monument sign are as follows:
|
CRITERIA |
GUIDELINE (G) CODE (C) |
PROPOSED SIGN |
|
One ground sign at each principal entrance |
G |
The church property has three driveways/entrances along Mockingbird Lane and one driveway/entrance along Hummingbird Lane. There is only one monument sign located between two of the entrances on Mockingbird Lane |
|
8’ maximum height |
G |
§ 8’4” tall monument sign |
|
32 square feet in sign area |
G |
§ 99.88 sq. ft. monument sign |
|
No moving or animated signs permitted |
G and C |
Signs will not have any components that flash, move, or are otherwise animated |
|
Changeable message |
G |
Changeable messaging is proposed on the top part of the sign |
|
Back lighting of freestanding letters mounted on a wall are limited to 100 lumens per square foot |
C |
Not applicable. Free standing sign |
|
Internally-illuminated signs limited to 0.75 foot-candles at property line |
C |
§ Not identified. If requested by the Planning Commission, the applicant will provide a photometric on the proposed sign § Church name and logo are back-lit § Church name and logo made from clear acrylic push-thu’s with surface translucent overlay and surface diffuser vinyl underlay. Staff has concern that this does not meet the Town Code which recommends the light source being shielded by an opaque cover (so the light bulb/source is not visible) |
|
Indirect lighting of sign limited to two 75-watt incandescent bulbs (750 lumens) per sign side; bulb completely shielded from v and view at nearest property line, limited to 0.75 foot-candles at property line |
C |
Not applicable/No Indirect Lighting |
|
Externally lit signs limited to 3000 Kelvins |
C |
Internally illuminated sign that will meet the 3000 Kelvin color temperature |
Minor Amendment Criteria
Per the new SUP Ordinance effective November 22, 2009, a Minor Amendment to a Special Use Permit shall include any proposal which is not a Managerial Amendment and does not:
1. Change or add any uses; or
2. Increase the floor area of the project by more than 5,000 square feet or constitute an increase of more than 15% upon the existing or, if still under construction, approved floor area square footage of the affected SUP property, whichever is less, with any such increase to be measured cumulatively over a sixty-month period; or
3. Have any material effect on the adjoining property owners that is visible, audible, or otherwise perceptible from adjacent properties that cannot be sufficiently mitigated; or
4. Change the architectural style of the existing Special Use Permit.
Zoning Ordinance Compliance:
The proposed improvements have varying degrees of zoning compliance. However, the following items need addition evaluation and direction from the Planning Commission:
§ SUP Amendment
Since the new sign is designed in keeping with the architectural elements of the campus and is of similar size to other religious facility signs, the applicant requests that the proposed improvement be processed as a Minor SUP Amendment. The proposed improvement is compliant with a portion of the Minor Amendment SUP criteria since the new sign does not change or add any uses to the property, does not increase the amount of floor area, nor change the architectural style of the SUP. However, the proposed monument sign exceeds the recommended size and height (at 99.88 square feet in size instead of 40 square feet and 8’4” tall instead of 8’ tall), may not comply with the lighting code in which the light source must be shielded by an opaque cover (translucent vinyl covers instead of an opaque cover to shield the light source), and the visibility of the sign (signs are designed to be seen and are not designed to be visually mitigated).
§ Light output
The applicant believes the sign illumination meets the maximum output of 0.75-foot candles measured at the property line. If requested by the Commission, the applicant will provide a photometric plan to identify the illumination output of the proposed sign. Although this is an additional expense, staff recommends that the applicant provide a photometric plan to verify the output of the sign.
Public Comment
Public notification is not required for the work study session. However, neighborhood notification was performed in accordance with the public meeting process for the public hearing.
Next Steps
The public hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2019. During the public hearing, the Planning Commission will take two actions:
1. Determine if the scope of the request constitutes a Minor SUP Amendment in accordance with the Minor Amendment Criteria.
2. If deemed a Minor SUP Amendment, the Commission may approve the request subject to stipulations, deny the request, or continue the request for further review.
Attachments
Vicinity Map
Aerial
Narrative
Plans (Sheets 1 - 4)
Photograph of Sign with Translucent Vinyl Overlay
C: - Pat Hurley and Gary Danks (Applicant)
- Case File: SUP 19-03