TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
Architectural Review Board
302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
Telephone (860) 395-3131 FAX (860) 395-1216
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Monday, September 12, 2005 at 7:30 p.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
202 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman, David Wight, called the regular meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
David Wight, Chairman
Elizabeth Swenson, Vice Chair
Jonathan Gibbs
Kingman Snow Attendant Staff
Frank Vinciguerra Janet Vinciguerra, Recording Clerk
Guy Pendleton
III. OLD BUSINESS
A. “U Store It” Sign
167 Elm Street (Map 39 / Lot 7)
Industrial I-1 District
Applicant: Arnco Sign Co., Inc. Agent: Jeremy Waycott
No one was present. Application was tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting.
B. “Bessoni Industrial Building” Special Exception, Site Plan, Elevations
90 Ingham Hill Road (Map 35 / Lot 12)
Industrial I-1 District
Applicant: Blue Point Inc. Agent: George Bessoni, Sr.
Mr. George Bessoni, Sr. and Mr. George Hollister were present. Mr. Hollister provided an overview of the project. The building will be a storage facility with 9 bays with every two bays sharing a bathroom. The dimensions are 248’ x 70’ and 14’ up to the eves. It will have metal siding with a dark green metal roof. Mr. Vinciguerra would like to see the two cupolas moved inward and a new third cupola to be larger and centered in the middle of the roof peak. Mr. Gibbs would like to see more overhang around the cupola eves. Each bay will be numbered. The Board suggested wall packs for every other bay for security lighting. The Board would like to see lighting specs for the building, parking area and driveway on the site
plan. Mr. Snow recommends mercury vapor fixtures not to exceed 90 watts.
MOTION to continue the special exception, site plan and elevation review until the next regularly scheduled meeting for the applicant to show the following recommendations: 1) two cupolas should be slightly larger, moved closer toward the center of the roof line and drawn to scale; 2) add an even larger cupola for the center of the roof; 3) show the lighting plan; 4) show the colors on the site plan and provide sample of materials; and 5) show 2 ft eve overhang on the site plan.
MOVED by Jonathan Gibbs SECONDED by E. Swenson
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Coastline Motorsports” Sign
309 Boston Post Road (Map 42 / Lot 14-1)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant: CT Sign Agent: David Hemming
Mr. John Morrison was present to represent the applicant. The existing sign will be removed and replaced with a shorter sign with a wider pylon. The sign will be internally illuminated with ten 36” vertical cool white fluorescent tubes every 14” across the sign. The bulbs will be 45-watt output. Mr. Gibbs stated that the 3’ wide pylon should be considered part of the sign and not just the structure so that the size of the sign needs to be reduced. He would like to see the width of the pylon reduced to 24” or even 18”.
MOTION to table this sign review until the next regularly scheduled meeting with the following recommendations: 1) the pylon to be 24” wide and show on the sign detail that it is 12” in depth; 2) show the lighting detail; 3) show the details of the top of the sign; and 4) show the landscape plan for the base of the pylon.
MOVED by F. Vinciguerra SECONDED by E. Swenson
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Mr. Morrison requested and received permission to make the above revisions and return before the end of the meeting.
B. “Ferry Place” Sign and Site Plan
15 Clark Street (Map 43 / Lot 13)
Marine Commercial MC District
Applicant/Agent: James S. O’Rourke
Mr. James O’Rourke was present. Ferry Place will be a storage yard for boats. The first floor of the building will house the office for Ferry Place and the second floor will remain the office and residence of Towboat U.S. The perimeter of the lot will have a solid cedar fence with a buffer of a five foot raised bed with mulch and low growing plants. Mr. O’Rourke stated that the yard would be gated. Boat owners will not be allowed to work on their boats. The yard is intended for winter storage only with minor detailing to prepare boats for sale. There is a designated gravel 20x30 area for such detailing to be performed. This designated area will have water and electrical service but the remaining yard will not. Mr. Gibbs
expressed concern that the customers be limited to the type of work they may perform on their boats to prevent motors from being flushed out and anti-fouling paint being scraped off the bottom of the boats.
The sign will be varnished teak with gold leaf lettering. The logo on top of the sign may be changed to a ferryboat, which used to cross the CT River at this location years ago. This will be painted by Steve Cryan.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign as presented with the recommendation of using ornamental grasses and solar lighting for the sign. Also approved is an alternative logo for the top of the sign of a ferryboat painted by Steve Cryan.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
MOTION to recommend approval of the site plan as presented with the following stipulations:
1) no water or electrical service be provided to storage customers
2) outside lighting restricted to existing porch lights on the building
3) cedar fence and landscape buffer with mulch and ornamental grasses
4) storage customers shall not perform work on their boats
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
C. “Tarot Card & Palm Reading by Francesca” Sign
40 Elm Street (Map 36 / Lot 109)
Central Business B-1 District
Applicant: Francesca Mitchell Agent: Bob Mitchell
Mr. Bob Mitchell was present. The sign is four feet high, made of wood and unlit. The colors will be dark blue background with gold and white lettering. Mr. Gibbs suggested that the lettering for “and” and “by Francesca” be slightly smaller and on separate lines. Also the molding on top of the sign could be slightly larger.
Mr. Pendleton suggested caps on the posts to prevent rot. Mr. Mitchell stated that he intends to add lighting in the future. Ms. Swenson provided examples of other signs in town that are illuminated for his reference.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign as presented with the following recommendations:
1) the bottom of the sign shall be 2 ft above the ground
2) base of sign shall be landscaped with ornamental grasses and perennials
3) lighting shall be reviewed separately in the future.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
D. “New England Power Equipment” Sign and Site Plan
400 Boston Post Road (Map 42 / Lot 15)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant: New England Power Equipment, Inc. Agent: Joe Wren, P.E.
Mr. Joe Wren, P.E. was present. Mr. Wren stated that the existing building will remain and the parking area will be reconfigured. The current plan is to have 14 spaces with eight in reserve. A landscape berm will separate the parking area from a storage area and provide screening for the dumpster. The applicant would like to place two metal storage containers in this area with a truss roof in between to provide additional storage. There will be no additional lighting in the parking area. The building sign will be aluminum with gold lettering, burgundy background and a gold border. The sign will be externally lit with gooseneck fixtures. The freestanding sign will be internally illuminated. The board would like to see it lowered to 12
or 14 feet. The board discussed that the pylons are part of the sign recognition and brand identification so therefore they should be included in the total square footage of the sign.
MOTION to table the free standing sign until such time that the applicant can develop a strategy with John Deere to lower the height of the sign and conform with zoning requirements in light of the fact that the green pylons are part of the brand identification and thus should be considered part of the signage dimensions.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
MOTION to recommend approval of the building sign and lighting as presented. The color of the gooseneck light fixture shall be determined by the applicant.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
The proposal of the storage containers with a truss roof was discussed at great length. After much debate, the applicant proposed the removal of the containers from the site plan.
MOTION to recommend approval of the site plan with the elimination of the two metal storage containers and the wood truss roof.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
A. “Coastline Motorsports” Sign
309 Boston Post Road (Map 42 / Lot 14-1)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant: CT Sign Agent: David Hemming
Mr. John Morrison returned before the end of the meeting with the requested changes.
MOTION to recommend approval of the revised sign and lighting application as presented with an additional recommendation of two rhododendrons on either side of the base of the pylon.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, F. Vinciguerra, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
IV. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Meeting Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes of 08/08/05 as presented.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by F. Vinciguerra
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, G. Pendleton, and F. Vinciguerra. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
B. Correspondence
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
· 1. Mr. Vinciguerra reported that there is a nail and cosmetics salon business in Saybrook Landing with an erected sign that has not been reviewed by this Board.
· 2. Mr. Vinciguerra reported that the ad hoc Village Gateway Committee requested the ARB to suggest a new location for the Welcome to Old Saybrook sign currently at the foot of Main Street and Boston Post Road. This sign will be removed during the construction of the Information Booth Building. The board recommended the right side of Middlesex Turnpike just after the Rte 9 Old Saybrook exit. This suggestion will be forwarded to Selectman Velma Thomas.
V. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting on September 26, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street.
MOVED by D. Wight SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, F. Vinciguerra, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, and G. Pendleton. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Janet S. Vinciguerra, Recording Clerk
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