ARB MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Monday, April 27, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street CALL TO ORDER
I. Vice Chairman Elizabeth Swenson called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. Three members were seated to vote.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
Elizabeth Swenson, Vice Chairman. David Wight, Chairman
Arcangela Claffey, Alternate Kingmon Snow, Regular Member
Jonathan Gibbs, Regular Member Guy Pendleton, Secretary
Attendant Staff
Joanne Rynecki, Recording Clerk
III. NEW BUSINESS
- “The Wicker Shop” Façade Renovation
1234 Boston Post Road (Map 28/Lot 12) Business B-3 District
Applicant/Agent: Patricia Walden
Jill Cartagena of Point One Architects presented the façade renovation on behalf of the owner. The owner, Patricia Walden will be opening an upscale antique wicker furniture store. Sales will be from walk in and the internet. The business also does wicker restoration. The exterior changes to the building will be to relocate the exterior side stairway to the interior of the building. Remove front stairs. Add a wrap around covered porch. Remove existing ramp and stairs on west side of building and add a covered ramp and stairs. The entrance on the west side of the building will be enhanced with a stairway of beach stone (veneer). The building will be resided with white cedar shingles dipped in bleaching oil, with painted white trim. New windows will be
installed along with a cupola with a copper roof.
A separate application will be made for the sign and lighting. Ms. Cartagena said that no new landscaping will be done on the property.
Overall, the Board was pleased with the design and had the following recommendations: 1. The pitch of the cupola could be done in a steeper pitch, perhaps a swooping style or square top; 2. The columns could have more entasis (curved profile) or consider a different classical order for more slenderness, consider a more delicate look to the front porch pilasters to match the upper front window; 3. Window lights in Palladian window should have taller proportion similar to the other windows shown. Sunburst muntin should align with the muntin in the side light windows. An upgrade, if desired, would be a center window with a center arch Palladian top double hung with gothic lights or sunburst. Again, if arched, muntin should align with the muntin below.
MOTION to recommend approval of the façade renovations with the following recommendations: 1. The pitch of the cupola could be done in a steeper pitch, perhaps a swooping style or square top; 2. The columns could have more entasis (curved profile) or consider a different classical order for more slenderness; 3. Consider a more delicate look to the front porch pilasters to match the upper front window; 4. Window lights in Palladian window should have taller proportion similar to the other windows shown. Sunburst muntin should align with the muntin in the side light windows. An upgrade, if desired, would be a center window with an arched top double hung with gothic
lights or sunburst. Again, if arched, muntin should align with the muntin below. MOVED by Jonathan Gibbs; SECONDED by Arcangela Claffey; IN FAVOR: J. Gibbs, A. Claffey, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none APPROVED: 3-0-0.
- “Otter Cove Restaurant & Bar” Sign
99 Essex Road (Map 58/Lot134) Residential A District
Applicant/Agent: Michael Abel, Essex Sign Carver
Mike Abel of Essex Sign Carver presented the new sign design on behalf of the new owners of the restaurant called Otter Cove Restaurant and Bar. All 4 existing signs will be refaced with the new logo and name. The background color will be brown with a yellow/gold color. An otter will be outlined on the sign in red. The sign over the front door will be changed from a lengthwise oval to a wider width oval to fit the otter design. The street sign will have the otter carved in wood to give a three dimensional look.
The board recommends the otter be a contrasting color so it will stand out more.
MOTION to recommend approval of the signs with a recommendation that the otter color be a warm grey in order to contrast and stand apart from the background. MOVED by Elizabeth Swenson; SECONDED by Jonathan Gibbs; IN FAVOR: J. Gibbs, A. Claffey, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none APPROVED: 3-0-0.
- “Bellwether Beach, Inc.” Sign
875 Boston Post Road (Map 36/Lot 1) Business B-2 District
Applicant/Agent: Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe presented the sign request to the Board for her new business on the Boston Post Road in a strip shopping building. The sign will be 34” x 144”. The top portion of the sign will have green letters and a cream colored background. The bottom of the sign will have cream colored letters and a green background. The Vice Chairman suggested a green boarder around the sign.
The Board recommends the sign placement to allow at least 2 ½ inches of the façade on all sides of the sign. Neighboring tenants in the same strip plaza have sign heights at 28” and 24 “. The board recommends a sign height of no greater than 28” and the top of the sign should align with the neighbor tenant, “Casual Curtain”, sign top.
MOTION to recommend approval of the sign with the recommendation that the sign placement allow at least 2 ½ inches of the façade on all sides of the sign. A sign height of no greater than 28” and the top of the sign should align with the neighbor tenant, “Casual Curtain”, sign top... MOVED by Jonathan Gibbs; SECONDED by Arcangela Claffey; IN FAVOR: J. Gibbs, A. Claffey, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none APPROVED: 3-0-0.
MOTION to amend the agenda to delete Section IV “Workshop” and add Section III, d. “Jack Rabbits” sign application. MOVED by Jonathan Gibbs; SECONDED by Arcangela Claffey; IN FAVOR: J. Gibbs, A. Claffey, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none APPROVED: 3-0-0.
254 Main Street (Map 37/Lot 133) Business B-1 District
Applicant/Agent: Jack Flaws
Mr. Jack Flaws presented the sign request using the existing sign 2’ x 8.5’. The new sign face will have a green background with white letters on the top portion and a white background with black letters on the bottom. A sign will have a black boarder. The name on the sign is possessive and the Board recommends adding an apostrophe after the letter “t” in Rabbits. The current red awning will be removed. No plans for a new awning at this time. However, the Board suggested a darker green color for any future awning.
MOTION to recommend approval of the application for the sign design and recommend the addition of an apostrophe after the letter “t” in the word Rabbits and that any future awning installed should be a darker color green then the sign. MOVED by Elizabeth Swenson; SECONDED by Kingmon Snow; IN FAVOR: D. Wight, J. Gibbs, K. Snow, A. Claffey, G. Pendleton; OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none APPROVED: 5-0-0.
IV. REGULAR BUSINESS
- Meeting Minutes – to be reviewed at next meeting due to lack of attendant members.
- Correspondence – none
- Committee, Representative & Staff Reports - none
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:50 p.m. until the next regular meeting on Monday May 11, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main St. MOVED by E. Swenson; SECONDED by J. Gibbs; IN FAVOR: A. Claffey, J. Gibbs, E. Swenson; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 3-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanne Rynecki, Recording Clerk
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