Regular Meeting
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
Theodore (Guy) Pendleton, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Present
Theodore (Guy) Pendleton
Jonathan Gibbs
Kingmon Snow
I.Ben Akin
Anthony Brodeur
David Wight, arrived at 7:35 p.m.
Attendant Staff
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. OLD BUSINESS
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Master Tile” Sign
725 Boston Post Road (Map 36/Lot 100)
Shopping Center Business B-2 District
Applicant: Jhinson Jara
Janet Hall, employee, presented for the applicant. She said the current sign is difficult to see, therefore, J. Jara would like to add a 30 square foot sign to the east side of the building so the business will have better visibility.
J. Gibbs recommended that the height of the sign match the top of the window. He also recommended a little space between the window and the sign for better visibility.
J. Hall said J. Jara would like to light the sign. ARB members stipulated fully shielded, gooseneck style, dark skies compliant lighting. If lighting is going to be added, the applicant will have to come back for ARB review and approval.
ARB Commissioners stipulated that they do not want the photos on the sign. It will read “Master Tile Sales & Installation” on the blue background with Master Tile’s web site address. The website will be in smaller lowercase letters, in the same font. The two bottom lines should be in the same font and size.
Dimensions were discussed in relation to the building’s architectural features.
Commission members asked J. Hall to come back with a sign based on the ARB’s recommendations and stipulations.
MOTION to continue “Master Tile” Sign, 725 Boston Post Road (Map 36/Lot 100) Shopping Center B-2 District; Applicant: Jhinson Jara, to the next ARB meeting which is scheduled for Monday, September 26, 2011, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall, 302 Main Street, 1st Floor Cafeteria, pending further information and submittal of the new graphic showing the clearances to each side to the gutter and the window, and aligned with the top of the window. The applicant should provide an overall size and graphic layout. Any lighting proposals need to be indirect, fully cut off, down lighting, below the soffitt. The sign should be in proportion to the window, and dimensions should provide clearances as requested.; MADE by J. Gibbs; SECONDED by D. Wight; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, A. Brodeur, J. Gibbs, K.
Snow, D. Wight. (5-0-0).
B. “Grossman Nissan” Special Exception Use Modification
300 Middlesex Turnpike (Map 52/Lot 63-1)
Gateway Business B-4 District
Applicant: Jon Grossman; Agent: David Annino
D. Annino presented for the applicant. Linda Grossman was also present.
D. Annino submitted a new landscape plan and planting schedule showing evergreen, juniper and boxwood shrubs.
T. Pendleton did warn that any berries that grow on the bushes are poisonous to humans.
T. Pendleton asked about the relocation of the plants. D. Annino explained that the air conditioning unit will be relocated, not the plants.
Lighting was discussed. The existing 10’ tall shoebox fixture light poles will not be changed, they will remain as they are.
ARB commissioners asked that there be no bulb glare showing off the site, and that the lights are fully cut off, dark skies compliant, and fully shielded. He asked that the lighting be evenly distributed. They also stipulated that the lighting be in compliance with the design guidelines and the lighting standards as per the Zoning Regulations.
MOTION to approve as presented “Grossman Nissan” Special Exception Use Modification, 300 Middlesex Turnpike (Map 52/Lot 63-1) Gateway Business B-4 District; Applicant: Jon Grossman: Agent: David Annino; MADE by A. Brodeur; SECONDED by J. Gibbs; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, J. Gibbs, D. Wight, A. Brodeur, K. Snow. (5-0-0).
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Southern Exposure” Sign
264 Main Street (Map 37/Lot 133)
Central Business B-1 District
Applicant: Les & Lou Lupovich
Les Lupovich presented. He is not requesting any lighting for the 2’ 10” high and 205” wide sign. The proposed sign would fill the existing space which currently is exposed metal. The bottom of the sign does align and will be flush with the adjacent neighbor, Cartier.
Commissioners asked about the sun rays because the way the sign is designed, it won’t sit flush against the building It will stand off approximately 3” from the bricks, and the sun rays would project into the trim band.
Commissioners discussed making the sun rays fit within the space, but the applicant is concerned that the logo will then be much smaller because the sign would have to be shrunk roughly 25% by scale, and it will be out of proportion with a lot of extra white space.
Commissioners like the look of the sign, but they strongly recommended that the sun rays be contained within the sign band. They were concerned about how the sun rays would impact the allowable dimensions of the sign. They would like to see the applicant maintain the stores’s graphic identity while reconfiguring the sign to fit the sign band on the building.
MOTION to recommend approval of “Southern Exposure” Sign, 264 Main Street (Map 37/Lot 133) Central Business B-1 District; Applicant: Les & Lou Lupovich on the condition that it line up with the adjacent business, Cartier, and that the sign stay within the sign band.; MADE by D. Wight ; SECONDED by A. Brodeur; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, J. Gibbs, D. Wight, A. Brodeur, K. Snow.
(5-0-0).
B. “UCP of Eastern CT” Sign
590 Boston Post Road (Map 40/Lot 48)
Shopping Center Business B-2 District
Applicant: Peg Morrison
Peg Morrison and Christine Olbrys presented.
T. Pendleton read the memo dated 8/16/2011 from C. Costa, ZEO, stating that the sign is a non conforming sign, however, the proposed sign is a decrease in size of the non conformity. The applicant is only replacing what was in the previous sign.
The sign has already been installed. No lighting is being requested.
MOTION to recommend approval as presented for “UCP of Eastern CT” Sign, 590 Boston Post Road (Map 40/Lot 48) Shopping Center Business B-2 District; Applicant: Peg Morrison.; MADE by D. Wight ; SECONDED by J. Gibbs; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, J. Gibbs, D. Wight, A. Brodeur, K. Snow. (5-0-0).
C. “Dunkin’ Donuts” Sign
744 Boston Post Road (Map 36/Lot 110)
Shopping Center Business B-2 District
Applicant: Randy Rianhard; Agent: Jackie Daley
Randy Rianhard, owner and operator the Dunkin’ Donuts, presented along with John Aharonian and Jackie Daley, agents.
J. Aharonian explained that the metal fascias will be taken off of the building. The paint color will be different. It will be tan. There will be a cornice along the roof of the building. The stone work will be introduced along the base, and the monolith will be moved. The awnings will be along the top for aesthetics. There will be repaving at the site, and the sidewalks will be redone. There will be gooseneck lighting along the top, and the site lighting will remain the same. The building will not be going any higher, it will just be a façade renovation.
Color was discussed. Commissioners asked if the colors could be the same as the architectural renderings presented. They asked for more neutral, earthtone colors if possible.
Commissioners agreed that the façade renovation would be an improvement.
MOTION to recommend approval of “Dunkin’ Donuts” Sign, 744 Boston Post Road (Map 36/Lot 110) Shopping Center Business B-2 District; Applicant: Randy Rianhard; Agent: Jackie Daley with the straight monolith, and with the colors as presented on the architectural drawings submitted to the ARB at tonight’s meeting, September 12, 2011.; MADE by K. Snow ; SECONDED by A. Brodeur; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, J. Gibbs, D. Wight, A. Brodeur, K. Snow.
(5-0-0).
MOTION to amend the previous motion to clarify that the color not be startling orange but instead be similar in hue and neutrality to “orange vinyl film” for “Dunkin’ Donuts” Sign, 744 Boston Post Road (Map 36/Lot 110) Shopping Center Business B-2 District; Applicant: Randy Rianhard; Agent: Jackie Daley with the straight monolith, and with the colors as presented on the architectural drawings submitted to the ARB at tonight’s meeting, September 12, 2011.; MADE by K. Snow ; SECONDED by A. Brodeur; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, J. Gibbs, D. Wight, A. Brodeur, K. Snow. (5-0-0).
V. REGULAR BUSINESS
R. Friedman, Chairman of the Zoning Commission, came to speak to the ARB per T. Pendleton’s request, to clarify some questions regarding street tree regulations and how they are interpreted.
R. Friedman thanked the ARB for all they do to help the Zoning Commission to uphold the sign guidelines and regulations. He answered ARB Commissioners’ questions about the Zoning Regulations, and he talked about what the ZC and ARB can and cannot regulate.
MOTION to approve the minutes of 08/08/2011 as presented; MADE by G. Pendleton; SECONDED by K. Snow; ABSTAINED: J. Gibbs, D. Wight; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, A. Brodeur, K. Snow. (4-0-1).
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 11:00 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of Monday, September 26, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in the 1st Floor Cafeteria, 302 Main Street; MADE by T. Pendleton; SECONDED by D. Wight; APPROVED by T. Pendleton, J. Gibbs, D. Wight, A. Brodeur, K. Snow. (5-0-0).
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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