09/10/1998 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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develop a package that would meet the criteria of the code. One of the reasons we need to have the sigus a little bigger is because we have no frontage on Lorain Rd, and sit back more then 50' ft from the road, wluch makes the shops hard to see. We have been working with Mr. Conway to develop a package for signage. We have submitted criteria to Mr. Conway for his review and comments. As we have not completed our signage package, Jo Ann Fabrics has chosen to address their variauce ueeds now so they can have their graud-opening. The signage that has been presented to you tovight, is multicolor, and the major portion of the letters with the exception of the "O" are 4' ft 4" inch in height. We are looking for a variance for overall height. If the sign box is included the overall average size of the sign is some where around 4'.7" ft or 4'.8" ft. We feel the multicolor is important for the overall concept of the shopping center. Jo Anu Fabrics is reestablislung itself in a new market place, they have developed a new format wluch will iuclude arts and crafts. The size of the lettering was determined by the size of the store and the distance from the street to create the visibility that they will need. Therefore we ask that the variances be granted. Mr. Conway asked to address the board. Mr. Couway indicated the building department has been working with the developer as well as the law department about some of the business being 800' to 900' feet offthe center line of Brookpark Road. It puts thein at a disadvantage, they are always in asking for variances. We are working towards predominantly 5' ft sigus and theu allowing them to go 6' ft with what they call extenders and descenders wluch would be one capital letter or a curly Que ou or below the "Y". That is how tlus case fits into the overall coucept. The commeuts on the multiple colors as well as the decision to send tlus case to the Arclutectural review board for review, stems from my decision to send all new siguage iu the shoppiug center to the Arclutectural review board. The gentleman that reviewed the sign package raised the question of the multiple colors. His questioning has merit to it, but you have to keep in mind that tlus is a veiy large store frout were the sigus are not just 10' ft away from each other. There is merit in having multiple colors. We are working to get 70% to 80% of these sign issues through u.uder new law and not have to burden tlus board with a lot of variauces. Mr. Gomersall indicated that he was very pleased at what Mr. Conway had to say. Mr. Gomersall suggested he had interpreted the write-up in the notice as Mr. Conway being opposed to tlus issue. Mr. Conway suggested there is a section of the code that gives the building commissioner the option to direct things to the Architectural review board. He accepts their comments but that doesn't mean that he agrees with all of them. Law Director Gareau indicated he would like to address tlus issue froin another perspective. Currently the Law Department is in litigation dealing with our sign code, and we have consulted with an expert. We talked about the issue of having a standardized sign code, and how it impacts upon property that sits far back from the road. It doesn't make since for the sign criteria for a company that sits 50' ft to 75' ft off of Lorain road to be the same sign criteria as a company that sits 600 feet back. The purpose of the sign is for identification and for sure the identification problems that exists relative to the shopping center far exceed tliose that are on Lorain Road. So consequently Mr. Gareau is in favor of having a different sign criteria for the strip center and the mall. In addition one thing that would concem lum is if an issue is refened to the Architectural review board concerning colors and we have no standards before the Architectural review board in respect to colors or numbers of colors that would be appropriate, and how they would be reviewed with respect to adjoining stores. The Law Department is very concerned about this, because if you get somebody on the Architectural review board that just happens to hate purple you have an extreme problem. As in Westlake which they brag about to a great deal. They had somebody that sat on their Planning Commission that didn't like red roofls, so their Red Roof Inn has a brown roof. Mr. Gareau was really not in favor of those kinds of criteria that have no bases and standards that they can go by. It would be O.K. if the City said "thou shalt" only have two colors period over and out, and it doesn't matter what color as long as it applied to everybody that would. be one thing. To pick certain colors that you don't favor for no reason other then the fact you don't favor them. Mr. Gareau suggested he may be "unfair at what he was saying because he was not at the 7