PRESENTER: Presenter
Katie Totman, HPO
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SUBJECT: Title
HLC Case HST24-120: Discuss and consider a Certificate of Alteration to replace existing wall signage with new at the property located at 489 Main Plaza, in the Downtown Historic District.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 5
APPLICABLE CITATIONS:
Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66 - Historic Preservation
Sec. 66-57. Alteration certificates for alteration or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.
No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, new construction, removal or relocation of any city designated historic landmark or on any property within a city designated historic district which may affect the appearance and cohesiveness of any historic landmark or any property within a historic district without first obtaining an alteration certification authorizing the change.
Sec. 66-58. Criteria for approval of an alteration certificate.
In considering an application for an alteration certificate, the commission shall be guided by any adopted design guidelines, and where applicable, the following from the secretary of the interior's standards for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. Any adopted design guidelines and secretary of the interior's standards shall be made available to the property owners of historic landmarks or within historic districts.
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible.
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired.
FINDINGS:
a. The building located at 489 Main Plaza is a two-story commercial building with brick exterior. It is a corner building and is in the Downtown historic district.
b. WALL SIGNAGE - The applicant is requesting to replace two existing wall signs on the north and east sides of the building with new wall signs. The proposed signed are approximately 180-inches long and 30-inches tall. According to Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant features and is otherwise compatible with the size, scale, and character of the property. There are two existing wall signs on the building and the proposed signs are generally consistent with other signs in the Downtown district. Staff encourages that the wall signs be mounted into the mortar joints instead of the brick face to minimize permanent damage to the building.
c. REFACING LOGO SIGNS - The applicant is requesting to reface the existing smaller logo wall signs with the new logo and replace the small signs beneath the logo on the east elevation with new black signs. According to Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant features and is otherwise compatible with the size, scale, and character of the property. The signs themselves are not changing or being removed and the faces are being replaced with new ones.
Recommendation
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff recommends approval of the proposed signage based on finding b and c.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. GIS Location Map
2. Sign renderings