|
TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK Architectural Review Board |
David H. Wight, Chairman Elizabeth B. Swenson, Vice Chair Theodore (Guy) Pendleton, Secretary |
302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741 Telephone (860) 395-3131 FAX (860) 395-1216
MINUTES Regular Meeting Monday, February 12, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room 302 Main Street
|
Jonathan M. Gibbs Kingmon B. Snow, Jr. Vacancy, Alternate Vacancy, Alternate
|
I. |
|
|
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman David Wight called the regular meeting to order at 7:32 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members
David Wight, Chairman
Kingmon Snow, Regular Member
Jonathan Gibbs, Regular Member
Elizabeth Swenson, Vice Chair (arrived at 7:38 p.m.)
Absent Members
Guy Pendleton, Regular Member
Attendant Staff
Janet Vinciguerra, Recording Clerk
III. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Saybrook Health Care” Sign
1775 Boston Post Road (Map 017 / Lot 001)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant: Saybrook Convalescent Hospital, Inc. Agent: Christine Clark
Ms. Christine Clark was present. Ms. Clark stated that the new sign will replace the existing sign; will be the same size and will use existing posts in the same location with the addition of a colonial pediment. Mr. Gibbs questioned why this application did not include the structural façade renovations currently under construction.
Ms. Swenson arrived at 7:38 p.m.
Mr. Snow asked about the lighting. Ms. Clark said that the existing ground mounted fixtures will be used. Mr. Snow informed Ms. Clark that up-lit fixtures such as theirs do not comply with the Federal Dark Skies law. Mr. Snow suggested that the applicant could voluntarily change the fixtures to comply. Ms. Clark said she could ask her board.
Mr. Gibbs would like to see the slope of the cornice board to extend to each side of the sign where it meets the posts. The board would also like to clarify that the finial is three dimensional.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign with the recommendation that the pediment match the three dimensionality of the front doorway and that the sign not obscure any portion of the pediment.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by E. Swenson
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
B. “Mitchel Agency” Sign
147 Main Street (Map 37 / Lot 13)
Central Business B-1 District
Applicant: Mitchel Agency Agent: Bill Foster
Mr. Bill Foster was present. Mr. Foster informed the board that they would like to add lighting to the new building sign. Ms. Swenson informed Mr. Foster that he would need to submit a separate application. Mr. Foster was also informed that the lighting must be down-lit to comply with Dark Skies law. The proposed sign will be made of foam board.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign as presented.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: J. Gibbs. APPROVED: 3-0-1.
C. “O’Connor Insurance” Sign
50 Pond Road (Map 36 / Lot 116)
Shopping Center Business B-2 District
Applicant: Everett J. O’Connor Agent: Mike Abel
Mr. Abel was present. Before discussing the application, Mr. Abel asked if he could submit a request for the record: Mr. Abel requested that the ARB designate and issue design awards for signs in the same manner as the Design Excellence Award for buildings.
There will be two signs on the building; one on the front and one on the side. The previous street sign has been removed. The sign colors will be dark green background with gold lettering and gold clovers on the sides. The existing lighting will be used for the front sign. There was much discussion about the asymmetry of the building and the placement of the front sign. Ms. Swenson does not want the sign to be above the front door as she feels this will accentuate the asymmetry of the building.
MOTION to recommend approval of the signs as presented.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, J. Gibbs and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: E. Swenson. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 3-1-0.
D. “Vivo” Sign
375 Middlesex Turnpike (Map 52 / Lot 67)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant/Agent: Ilania Clement
Ms. Ilania Clement was present. The Tile Source sign will be raised to allow the proposed Vivo sign to be mounted underneath. Ms. Swenson and Mr. Gibbs suggest rounding the edges and adding blue or gray outline to the sign to distinguish it from the separate sign above.
MOTION to recommend approval of both signs with the suggestion to round the edges and add blue or gray outline around the edges.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by J. Gibbs
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
E. “Mike’s Quality Meats & Fine Deli” Sign
1522 Boston Post Road (Map 26 / Lot 28)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant/Agent: Nancy Engberg
Ms. Nancy Engberg and Mr. Mike Fowler were present. The applicants stated that the sign will be made of azak material which is white, with burgundy lettering and gold trim. Ms. Swenson suggested that they may want to reconsider their color choices as signs with darker backgrounds and lighter lettering are easier to read than signs with white backgrounds. Ms. Swenson also suggested that they might want to consider a building sign in the future and to consult with the ZEO to find out the allowable dimensions for their building. Mr. Fowler and Ms. Engberg have purchased the building and the first floor tenant, Gigi’s, will move upstairs and their new deli will occupy the first floor; therefore they want their sign to be on top. Mr. Gibbs is concerned that the darker Gigi’s sign on the bottom with the lighter Mike’ Deli sign on top will draw the public’s eye to the bottom sign. Mr. Fowler agreed to consider changing the sign material to wood and offered to change the colors to
Saybrook Country Barn green with maroon/burgundy lettering and gold trim.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign with the following two alternatives for the applicant to choose: 1) approve the sign as presented with the stipulation that it be place on the bottom, under Gigi’s sign; or 2) approve the sign as designed using wood and changing the colors to Saybrook Country Barn green background with maroon/burgundy letter and gold trim to be located on top of Gigi’s sign.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by E. Swenson
IN FAVOR: E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: D. Wight. APPROVED: 3-0-1.
V. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Meeting Minutes –01/22/07 Regular Meeting
Page 2, Item 1. should state, “special exception applications must include complete sign applications.” Mr. Gibbs clarified that Page 2, Item 2. should state that “All façade renovations should come before the ARB.” In addition to these corrections, Mr. Gibbs would like to add “Attorney Mark Branse was empathic that the ARB can deny applications based on grounds of aesthetics if very specific reasons are listed.
MOTION to approve the minutes of 01/22/07 regular meeting as amended.
MOVED by K. Snow SECONDED by J. Gibbs
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, J. Gibbs, E. Swenson and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
B. Correspondence - none
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
MOTION to request additional budget funds for consulting services with Attorney Mark Branse for up to three times per year to address procedural and regulatory concerns which have not been resolved.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by J. Gibbs
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs, and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Mr. Wight informed the board that they have been invited to meet with the Clinton ARB to discuss mutual concerns and interests. The board will attend the Clinton ARB meeting on Thursday, March 22nd.
MOTION: In the interest of decreasing unnecessary impervious paving, zoning regulations should reflect economy of scale and offer incentives for shared parking to reduce aggregate parking spaces.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by E. Swenson
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
V. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 10:18 p.m. until the next regular meeting on Monday, February 26, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main St.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by K. Snow
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and K. Snow.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Janet S. Vinciguerra, Recording Clerk
| 
