MINUTES
CITY OF GOOSE CREEK
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD MEETING
MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 2011, 6:30 P.M.
MARGUERITE H. BROWN MUNICIPAL CENTER
519 N. GOOSE CREEK BOULEVARD

 

I. Call to Order -Chairperson Sharon Clopton

Ms. Clopton called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Present: Joel Arenson, Sharon Clopton, Racheal King, Tom Risso, and Fred Smith
Absent: Jeri Haga and John Sanders
Staff Present: Daniel Ben-Yisrael and Sarah Hanson

II. Review of Minutes - July 18, 2011

Motion: Mr. Arenson made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Mr. Risso seconded.
Discussion: There was none.
Vote: All voted in favor.

III. New Business - Minor Applications

A. Magnolia's Salon - Wall Mounted Sign and Tenant Panel

There was clarification that this tenant panel would replace the tenant panel for Portfolio's.

Motion: Mr. Risso made a motion to accept the application as submitted. Ms. King seconded.
Discussion: Mr. Arenson asked if the Board typically approves the tenant panel, and Ms. Clopton answered they usually are approved with the other signage.
Vote: All voted in favor.

B. Aspire - Freestanding Sign

There was clarification that this sign would be the same size as the two individual signs there at present.

Motion: Mr. Arenson made a motion to accept the application as submitted. Mr. Smith seconded.
Discussion: Ms. King complimented the sign.
Vote: All voted in favor.

C. Sweetgrass Cleaners - Wall Mounted and Freestanding Signs

Ms. Clopton asked for verification of the allowed square footage. Ms. Hanson answered that the applicant qualifies for 80 square feet of wall mounted signage and 50 square feet for the freestanding sign. Mr. Risso explained to the applicant that base landscaping is required for the freestanding sign.

Motion: Mr. Risso made a motion to accept the freestanding sign as submitted with the condition that they add evergreen landscaping at the base of the sign. Mr. Smith seconded.
Discussion: There was none.
Vote: All voted in favor.

Motion: Mr. Risso made a motion to accept the building sign as submitted. Ms. King seconded.
Discussion: There was none.
Vote: All voted in favor.

IV. New Business - Major Applications

A. Sonic - Landscaping, Elevations, Materials

Mr. Eddie Buck, Mr. Fred Whittle, and Mr. Doug Hailey presented the application. Mr. Buck explained they were wishing to redevelop and make modifications to the existing Burger King location at Crowfield Boulevard and College Park Road, reusing the building but modifying it to create the Sonic image. He stated that all the existing landscaping will remain and some will be refurbished as needed. They plan to remove the play equipment and in its place create an upscale patio with landscaping. They will remove all vinyl on the building and replace with stone and stucco. The shingled roof will be replaced with standing seam metal.

Mr. Arenson suggested it would be preferable if there could be at least a ten foot street buffer added. Mr. Buck explained that because there is so little area available at the street front, there isn't enough space to provide a buffer. Ms. King and Mr. Arenson discussed the need for the applicant to get approval from the Crowfield Plantation Homeowners Association as well as ARB approval. Mr. Ben-Yisrael explained Staff was unaware of any covenants and restrictions that they would have to comply with; typically the Crowfield ARB will not hear an application until they have City approval, but this had no bearing on the Board's review process. There was brief discussion regarding the relationship between City approval and covenants and restrictions.

There was extensive discussion regarding the lighting on and around the proposed building. There was discussion about being able to provide a Sonic identity with its retro exterior. Mr. Hailey stated they tried to keep a few of the Sonic elements, upgrade the exterior finishes, and improve the overall appearance. Mr. Arenson insisted he felt a buffer of some sort was needed. There was discussion regarding the ability to add a street buffer because of the site restraints. Mr. Ben-Yisrael stated this had been addressed by Staff, as a new land use buffer ordinance is in the process of being recommended, and in light of that Staff did critique the project to see what could be added in terms of buffers and landscaping, and had, therefore, recommended that the applicant add landscaping in the front grass area, small shrubs and ground covers. Mr. Buck stated this was also the reason the patio area was so extensively landscaped. Ms. King and Mr. Arenson suggested there needed to be some trees in that front area. Mr. Hailey suggested there would be room for two to three ornamentals in the area and could work with Staff on adding those.

Mr. Risso stated he questioned the yellow roof panels, the yellow roof tower, and the lighted green stripe around the building. He stated he feels it makes the building into a sign. There was extensive discussion about these elements being the largest part of the Sonic identity and being able to establish a brand image but not presenting such a lighted site. Ms. King asked about being able to allow the proposed "Goose Creek" sign. Ms. Clopton asked about the red and yellow eclipse lights (later referred to as stall stars) and stated she felt these added to the concern about the lighting. She asked what elements might be able to be removed to eliminate some of the lighting.

Mr. Hailey suggested reducing the number of blue bands on the tower by 50% as well as using the green band only on the front of the building as well as reducing the height of the tower to 3' rather than 4'. There was discussion about the eclipse lights. Mr. Hailey said they could extend the distance between the stars to 14' intervals and then add any correction stars to the back of the building. Mr. Hailey said they could also change the yellow panels on the roof to gray (to match the roof). Regarding the green neon band, there was discussion about leaving some of it on the building and having lighting on the roof. Mr. Hailey stated they wanted to keep some of the "pizzaz", as that is part of the Sonic identity. He stated they could place the green band under the roof edge. Ms. Clopton stated she liked very much the colors and materials but felt the lighting was a big issue. There was disagreement about eliminating the stall stars on the top of the roof. Mr. Hailey stated they could use silver fascia around the roof to conceal the green band. He suggested keeping the car canopies the same, as the visibility of one blocks the visibility of another. He stated he could change the yellow tower to a softer yellow, almost a creamy yellow. He restated he could place the stall stars every 14', correcting the number at the back corners.

Motion: Ms. King made a motion to accept the application with the following changes:
· Decrease the height of the arched tower vault from 4' to 3';
· Change the yellow panels at the drive through area to silver to match the roof;
· Reduce the number of stall stars on the upper roof of the building, locating them only at the corners of the roof;
· Mute the color of the tower vault to a softer, muted yellow;
· Decrease blue lighted bands by 50% on the tower vault;
· Conceal the green LED lighting on the top of the building so not to be visible on the lineal portion of the building and deleting the green band around the lower portion of the building entirely;
· Increase the landscaping, including crepe myrtles or other trees, along the College Park Road frontage to serve as a buffer;
· Keep the "Goose Creek" signage if it can be determined to meet the zoning ordinance requirements.
Mr. Smith seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was discussion about the ability to have the Goose Creek signage. Ms. King stated she just wanted it to be on the record that they liked the sign. Mr. Arenson asked about landscaping the retaining wall. The applicant stated they would determine how much room there was to work with and incorporate the landscaping and ornamentals where possible. Mr. Smith asked if the owners of the Sonic location on St. James Avenue would be bound to this if they decided to refit that location, and Mr. Ben-Yisrael answered that they would have to come before the Board for their approval.
Vote: 3 voted in favor; two opposed. The motion passed.

Motion: Mr. Risso made a motion to approve the signage as submitted with the condition of adding base landscaping. Mr. Smith seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was none.
Vote: All voted in favor.

V. Comments from ARB

There was discussion about some landscaping being required for signs on Red Bank Road but the landscaping not being added.

VI. Comments from Staff

There were none.
VII. Adjournment

Ms. King made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Risso seconded the motion. All voted in favor. The meeting adjourned at or about 7:45 p.m.