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Design Review Decision 11-0097.pdfOV ED °�a CITY OF EDMONDS .�� 1P 121 5th Avenue North • Edmonds, WA 98020 Phone: 425.771.0220 • Fax: 425.771.0221 • Web: www.ci.edmonds.wa.us Ips g90 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT: PLANNING DIVISION ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW - STAFF DECISION - BLD -2011-0097 Project Proposal Soundview Family Dental has submitted an application for a wall sign at their location at 201 5th Avenue South (the actual frontage is on Dayton Street). Property Owner/Applicant Colby Re LLC 2828 Colby Ave. Everett, WA 98201 Design Review Process Contractor Berry Neon Sign 7400 Hardeson Road Everett, WA 98203 Design review for signs is considered a Type I decision subject to the requirements of ECDC 20.01.003. Because the sign is located in the BD -1 zone, the design standards in ECDC 22.43 apply in addition to those general criteria found in the sign code (Chapter 20.60 ECDC) and the Comprehensive Plan. Analysis 1. Design Standards. The Comprehensive Plan identifies the site as Downtown/Waterfront Activity Center — Retail Core. The proposed sign satisfies the intent of the following goals and policies from the Comprehensive Plan and the design standards in ECDC 22.43: a. Downtown Design Objectives are found on pages 38-42 and are intended to encourage high quality, well designed projects to be developed in the downtown waterfront area that reflect the values of the citizens of Edmonds. b. "Provide clear signage to idents each distinct property or business and to improve orientation and way -finding downtown. " (page 39) c. "Minimize distraction from the overuse of advertisement elements." (page 39) d. "Lighting of signs should be indirect or minimally backlit to display lettering and symbols or graphic design instead of broadly lighting the face of the sign. " (page 40) e. "Signage and other way -finding methods should be employed to assist citizens and visitors in finding businesses and services. " (page 40) f. "Instead of broadly lighting the face of the sign, signage should be indirectly lit, or backlit to only display lettering and symbols or graphic design. " (ECDC 22.43.040.B.11) 2. Sin e. Wall signs are a permitted type in the downtown business area according to ECDC 20.60.020.L. The subject sign is composed of three components: the lower `Family Dental' element, the middle `Soundview' element, and the top `mountain' graphic element. The `Family Dental' element is internally -illuminated while the `Soundview' and `mountain' elements are not. Those two portions of the sign will be lit by exterior illumination from below. The `Family Dental' element of the proposed sign satisfies the applicable standards for interior illumination found in ECDC 20.60.020.M.2 through 20.60.020.M.5, in that: the sign illuminates only Page I of 2 File No. BLD -2011-0097 Soundview Family Dental sign the letters and not the background; it is mounted directly on the building; it does not use exposed neon; and, it is not higher than an average of 14 feet. 3. Number of signs. According to ECDC 20.60.025.A.4, a maximum of three commercial signs may be installed at the subtenant location, excluding window signs. The proposed wall sign will be the only signage for the tenant at this time. 4. Sign size. According to ECDC 20.60.025.A.1, the maximum total permanent sign area for uses in the BD zone is one square foot of sign area for each lineal foot of wall containing the main public entrance to the primary building. The building at 201 5ch Avenue South contains public entrances on the north, west and south side of the building. The total length of these facades is 470 square feet (north — 180', west — 110', and south — 180'). According to ECDC 20.60.030.A, the maximum area for a wall sign in the BD zone is 1 square foot per lineal foot of attached wall. The subtenant frontage is approximately 57' wide at Dayton Street and the proposed sign is 41.6 square feet. As a result, the sign satisfies the maximum area and specific wall sign area requirements of the code. 5. Sign height and location. According to ECDC 20.60.030.B, the maximum height for a wall sign in the BD zone is 14 feet or the height of the face of the building on which the sign is located, consistent with ECDC 20.60.020.A. As described in Section (2) above, internally -illuminated wall signs in the Downtown area must be less than 14 feet high. As proposed, the `Family Dental' element meets the 14 -foot requirement for internal illumination. Since the `Soundview' and `mountain' elements of the sign use exterior illumination, those portions may be as high as the face of the building and thus meet the height requirement. 6. Colors. The wall sign will consist of three elements — the `Family Dental' element will use brushed aluminum channel letters with white acrylic faces with interior illumination in front of a two-tone blue aluminum background panel. The `Soundview' lettering is dark blue similar to the background of the lower element while the `mountain' element is white. Both elements are on brushed aluminum panels painted to match the existing fagade. Decision Based on the facts and analysis in this report, staff finds that the design review for this project (File No. BLD -2011-0097) is APPROVED with the following condition: 1) No commercial sign shall be illuminated after 11:00 p.m. unless the commercial enterprise is open for business and then may remain on only as long as the enterprise is open. I have reviewed the application for compliance with the Edmonds Community Development Code. Mike Clugston, Planning Division Appeals: Design review decisions by staff are only appealable to the extent that the applicable building permit or development approval is an appealable decision under the provisions of the ECDC. Design review by staff is not in itself an appealable decision. Page 2 of 2