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, April 9, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman David Wight called the regular meeting to order at 7:43 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
David Wight, Chairman Kingman Snow, Regular Member
Elizabeth Swenson, Vice Chair
Jonathan Gibbs, Regular Member
Guy Pendleton, Regular Member
Attendant Staff
Katie Beecher, Recording Clerk
III. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Essex Golf Shoppe” Sign
118 Main Street (Map 37 / Lot 103)
Shopping Center Business B-1 District
Applicant/Agent: Essex Golf Shoppes, LLC
Mr. Mark O’Neil was present. He and his wife spoke about their business, which is moving from Main Street in Essex. They are moving into the Huffman Koos building and are applying for three signs. For the Dudley Avenue side, the commission recommended that the new sign be placed next to
the SeaSide sign rather than underneath, with lighting increased from three to four goosenecks. Ms. Swenson recommended that the sign be oval like the SeaSide sign.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign on Dudley Avenue as presented with the following recommendations:
1. Make the sign the same height, shape and width as the existing sign with a matching background color rather than stark white. Place the signs next to each other, with a preference to smaller signs;
2. Add an additional light fixture over signs identical to current three fixtures. Place two lamps over each sign;
3. Place plantings along the side wall, with an emphasis on smaller perennials like day lilies. Also suggested is a quality vinyl lattice for a climbing vine since there is only 24” between the wall and the sidewalk;
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by G. Pendleton
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and G. Pendleton .
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
MOTION to recommend approval of the front sign as presented with the applicant to return with the lighting details at a later meeting.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by G. Pendleton
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and G. Pendleton .
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
The third sign is free standing, currently in use by SeaSide. The Essex Golf Shoppe sign will hang beneath the SeaSide sign on black wrought iron dowels so the wind will not move it. Ms. Swenson thinks that the sign will look weak compared to the sign above but Mr. Pendleton likes the smaller sign because it does not create a “billboard” look.
MOTION to recommend approval of the free standing sign as presented.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by J. Gibbs
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and G. Pendleton .
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
B. “Max’s Place, LLC” Special Exception, Site Plan, Sign
Boston Post Road/Spencer Plain Road/Center Road West (Map 25 / Lots 2, 28, 29, 30), (Map 26/Lots 6-10, 6-11, 6-12, 32, 32-1, 6-16)
Shopping Center Business B-4 District
Petitioner: Max’s Place, LLC Agent: David M. Royston, Esq.
This is a re-application with a reduced, one phase site plan. Also present for the petitioner are Ron Lyman, Peter Thomas from Big Y, Patrick Moore from Pepin & Associates and Dave Zyacks, architect.
The small anchor store is now 25,000 sq. ft. and two smaller anchors are 7200 sq. ft. each. The tree warden has inspected the site. Representatives from the petitioner discussed details about each side of every building, details of the parking lot, detention ponds, drainage, landscaping, lighting and signs. The main driveway on Spencer Plains Road will be lined up with the driveway across the street for Sal’s Pizza along with the pedestrian crosswalk. Both businesses will be able to use the traffic light.
The following recommendations and stipulations were discussed:
Recommendations:
1. Future tenant signs will remain in the area presently allocated.
2. Channel letters to be backlit on the sign band rather than the entire panel illuminated.
3. There should be no light source from off site or spilling over to wetlands. All lights to be dark skies compliant including lighting of the flagpole and all tree lighting. Only true light bulbs should be used.
4. A place for public art should be allocated, perhaps across from the flagpole.
5. Glazing on the Westside of building A should be real windows rather than faux.
Stipulations:
1. The glazed area containing the Big Y sign at the front of the building should be real not faux for safety and the quality of exterior spacing, natural surveillance and stewardship of outside spaces.
2. Applicant to return at a later date with alternatives to the pylon sign background color along with the degree of lighting intensity to reduce glare.
MOTION to accept the recommendations and stipulations above and recommend approval of the design as presented with the above recommendations and stipulations with the exception of the pylon sign faces.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by G. Pendleton
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, G. Pendleton and J. Gibbs.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: K. Snow. APPROVED: 4-0-1.
MOTION to table Old Business items A and B until the May 14th meeting because the petitioners did not attend.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by G. Pendleton
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, G. Pendleton and J. Gibbs.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: K. Snow. APPROVED: 4-0-1.
IV. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Meeting Minutes – March 12, 2007 and March 26, 2007
MOTION to approve the minutes of the 3/12/07 regular meeting.
MOVED by E. Swenson SECONDED by J. Gibbs
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, J. Gibbs, G. Pendleton and E. Swenson.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Approval of minutes of the 3/26/07 workshop is tabled until the minutes can be expanded to include more of the specific details and topics discussed including awnings, dark skies regulations vs. guidelines – town could adopt the regulations as guidelines, quantifying appropriate measurement for light spill expressed in foot candles per linear foot or level of bulb glare could be equal to small holiday bulb lights and the addition of no new non- compliant lighting in circumstances when applicants with current non-compliant lighting wish to add additional lighting.
B. Correspondence – no new items.
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports – none
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 10:15 p.m. until the next regular meeting on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main St.
MOVED by J. Gibbs SECONDED by E. Swenson
IN FAVOR: D. Wight, E. Swenson, J. Gibbs and Guy Pendleton.
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Katie Beecher, Recording Clerk
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