Village of Deerfield Appearance Review Commission met Jan. 24.
Here are the minutes provided by the commission:
A meeting of the Appearance Review Commission was held at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Chairperson Lisa Dunn called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Present were:
Beth Chaitman
Lisa Dunn, Chairperson
Sherry Flores
Jason Golub
Troy Mock
Absent were:
Daniel Moons
Amy Schneider
Also Present:
Liz Delevitt, Planning & Design Specialist
Andrew Lichterman, Assistant Village Manager (Present at Village Hall) Jeri Cotton, Secretary
Public Comment:
There was no Public Comment on non-agenda items on email, via Zoom or in person. Document Approval
Ms. Flores moved to approve the minutes from the December 15, 2021 Appearance Review Commission meeting. Ms. Chaitman seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Chaitman, Flores, Golub, Mock, Dunn (5)
NAYS: None (0)
Business:
1. Cyclebar, 190 Waukegan Road – Wall Sign and Monument Sign Panels
Mark Thuer from Signs of Distinction explained they are the field installers for Cyclebar in Deerfield. The proposed wall sign has internally illuminated, channel letters with the Cyclebar logo and lettering. The proposed sign will be directly mounted to the wall. The sign is to be centered horizontally and vertically on the storefront. The logo is 24” high, and the letter height is 14-5/8 inches. The power source is behind the wall, and the disconnect switch is existing on the lower right portion of the storefront.
The proposed tenant panel sign will look similar to the wall sign, but the petitioner has agreed to match the heights and colors of the existing monument sign panels. The letters will be 3M #3630-127 Intense Blue, and the logo will be 3M #3630-53 Cardinal Red.
Ms. Flores moved to approve the wall sign and tenant panel signs for Cyclebar as proposed. Mr. Golub seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Chaitman, Flores, Golub, Mock, Dunn (5)
NAYS: None (0)
2. Old National Bank, 725 Waukegan Road – Signage
Bill Holley with Bright Light Sign Company explained First Midwest Bank was purchased by Old National Bank, and they want to update their current signage. There are currently two (2) monument signs, one (1) non-illuminated wall sign and one (1) illuminated wall cabinet sign on the property. The new signs will be of similar to the existing signs but with the new bank branding.
Mr. Holley explained the existing west elevation wall cabinet sign will be replaced with a new cabinet of the same size. The new 14’ wide x 2’ high cabinet will be LED illuminated, routed-out and backed with blue and yellow Plexiglass. The east elevation sign will be composed of non-illuminated, channel letter letters mounted to the wall. The sign will be 12’-4¾” wide with a 16” tall logo and 8” letters in the bank’s blue and yellow colors. The two (2) existing monument sign cabinets are proposed to be refaced with Lexan faces. The aluminum frame and LED illumination will be reused. The new faces will increase the depth of the monument signs to 23½” inches deep, which is wider than the current 20” depth. Ms. Delevitt noted the directional signage included in the drawing set meets the Deerfield Zoning Ordinance and does not require ARC approval.
Ms. Delevitt explained First Midwest Bank was initially approved for two (2) wall signs and the Waukegan Road monument sign. The approved signs fit within the Zoning Ordinance. In 2001, the bank was approved for an off-site sign on Deerfield Road. During the time period of 2012 – 2015, the signs were all changed without Village approval. All of the signs became smaller, but the monument signs were widened to 20” deep instead of 12” deep. The Village Code only permits a sign depth of 12 inches maximum for monument signs. If the proposed monument signs are greater than 12”, they will require an exception (variation) from the Plan Commission and Board of Trustees. Mr. Holley noted 12” does not provide enough width for the sign’s structural components and avoid hot spots. He will go back to the bank to determine the next steps, but believes they will go for a variance.
Mr. Mock expressed concern about the appearance of the monument signs. He questioned whether there are color restrictions within the Village of Deerfield. Ms. Delevitt explained the Appearance Code states: “Signs and graphics shall have a harmonious relationship with their building and site and to the architectural character of the surrounding area and the Village in terms of size, shape, material, color, texture, lettering, arrangement and lighting.” Mr. Mock is okay with the size of the signs, but believes the colors are not harmonious with the existing architecture. Ms. Flores believes the yellow is not harmonious with the architecture. She is okay with the proposed size. Mr. Golub does not believe the 12-inch depth restrictions are practical and is okay with the deeper sign. He does not believe the proposed colors work with the color palate of the building. Mr. Golub suggested keeping the silver background with the blue band and white letters. Ms. Chaitman agrees if the yellow was replaced with a silver, it would be better. Ch. Dunn agrees the colors do not fit in with the building, shopping center or Village Center. She does not believe a wider depth sign should be allowed without a clear reason for the larger sign. The proposed sign is almost double of what is permitted in the Zoning Ordinance. Mr. Golub noted the colors do not wrap around the sign.
The Commissioners discussed the proposed west wall sign. Mr. Mock believes the yellow stripes attract too much attention. He would prefer the Old National Bank lettering without the logo. Ms. Flores questioned the contrast between the silver cabinet and the blue letters. Ms. Chaitman noted the current sign has much better contrast than the proposed sign. Mr. Golub suggested removing the logo entirely and enlarging the letters. He noted the same could be done for the monument sign. Mr. Mock believes the new signs would be fine, without the logo. The Commissioners discussed the proposed non-illuminated east wall sign. Ch. Dunn is not in favor of the logo on this sign either. She believes the sign would look more harmonious in one color. The size and placement are fine. Mr. Golub believes the east elevation wall sign looks nicer than the cabinet sign in the front of the building.
Mr. Holley explained the blue and yellow stripes are part of their corporate logo, and the bank wishes to use it on all of their signage. He noted they are working with Old National Bank for all of their new branches in the Chicagoland area, and Deerfield is the only town that has questioned the logo. He will go back to the client to determine how to proceed. Ms. Flores believes the colors look similar to the Swedish flag. Ch. Dunn noted the Village is strict on their signage and does not always approve the use of a logo. Mr. Golub noted Chase Bank was required to change their signage when it came through the Commission. Ms. Flores showed a photo of a different Old National Bank sign that does not have the yellow sign. Mr. Golub noted there are a number of different Old National Bank signs. Ms. Delevitt noted the Commission does not appear to be in favor of the petition and suggested the petitioner return with revised signage. Mr. Holley requested the Commission vote on the signs as presented.
Mr. Mock moved to deny the Old National Bank signs as presented. Mr. Golub seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Chaitman, Flores, Golub, Mock, Dunn (5)
NAYS: None (0)
Mr. Holley will return to the Commission with revised signage. Mr. Golub suggested having the individual channel letters on both the east and west elevations. Mr. Holley explained that would require a lot of holes in the brick while the box sign only requires one hole plus the mounting holes. Mr. Golub believes there are other options that would look nicer than the cabinet sign.
Mr. Golub moved to continue the petition for further discussion at the next meeting. Mr. Mock seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Chaitman, Flores, Golub, Mock, Dunn (5)
NAYS: None (0)
3. Deerfield Square Office & Retail Building, 728 Waukegan Road – Renovation Preliminary Review
Chris Siavelis, Jeff Malk and Chuck Malk with CRM Properties and Jesper Dalskov with Stantech Architecture were present. Mr. Siavelis explained they are seeking preliminary comments for renovating the Barnes & Noble tenant space. They would like to break up the first floor to create individual storefronts and use the second floor as office space. In addition, they propose adding more hardscape along the inner drive of the shopping center to create more space for outdoor dining.
Mr. Dalskov explained the facade is composed of six (6) window bays that are 25 feet wide each for a total of 150 feet. The existing cornice element will be removed, taking the maximum building height down to 41 feet. Mr. Dalskov presented the proposed materials, including a classic red brick, neutral gray brick, dark metal and wood canopies. He believes the palette to be representative of Deerfield Square but more contemporary. The variety of materials and heights give the individual storefronts their own unique identity. There is ample storefront glazing for visibility as well as natural light for the office component. Mr. Dalskov noted the proposed outdoor seating area would be determined by the tenants. They propose a brick knee wall with plantings to buffer the outdoor seating area from the parking lot.
The rear elevation changes include additional windows and a neutralized color palate. The stone and brick will remain unchanged. Mr. Siavelis noted a detailed landscape plan would be included for the next round. He believes the design is a great solution for the modernization of the Barnes & Noble space.
Ms. Flores likes the proposed outdoor seating. She asked if the proposed gray brick could be changed to red brick. Mr. Mock believes this is well done and complements the approved residential building. Mr. Jeff Malk added the 711 Building was also designed to tie in with the rest of Deerfield Square. Mr. Golub considers this to be a great proposal for the reuse of Barnes and Noble. He brought up several things to consider before the next meeting, including second floor signage, exterior lighting, a separate employee parking and entrance, and brick detailing. Ms. Chaitman likes the new facade and modernization of the exterior of the building. Ch. Dunn likes the outdoor seating area and walkway and feels this makes it more pedestrian friendly. She questioned the gray brick and believes red brick may look nicer. Ch. Dunn suggested varying the roofs. Mr. Siavelis noted much of this is being considered, and they will return with more detailed drawings at the next meeting.
Items from Staff:
Resolution to Approve Updated Rules of Procedure for the Appearance Review Commission
Village Attorney Benjamin Schuster explained the Village is in the process of revising the Zoning and Municipal Codes to mirror current practices. The Village Code provisions do not necessarily reflect ARC operations. For example, the Code states the ARC has five (5) members and engages in Public Hearings. There are many places in the Village Codes that deal with the jurisdiction of the ARC. The Board will also consider an Ordinance to clean up the various issues. The ARC’s Rules of Procedure is a supplementary document to the Village Codes, which also needs editing. Mr. Schuster wants to ensure the ARC’s Rules of Procedure are consistent with current practice. Ms. Delevitt noted one change would be eliminating the Vice Chairperson appointment. If the Chairperson is unavailable, the Commission would vote to appoint a temporary Chairperson at the beginning of the meeting.
Administrative approval process for certain sign packages was also discussed. If a sign package meets the set criteria it can be approved administratively. The Zoning Ordinance will be updated to allow for this. Mr. Golub questioned whether the Commission should review the Appearance Code to make sure it is still current. Mr. Mock noted the Board frequently grants the same variances for signage. A good example of this, is the ground sign width greater than 12”. Ms. Delevitt noted this is something Staff has discussed changing.
Mr. Golub moved to approve the Resolution to update the ARC’s Rules of Procedure as presented. Ms. Chaitman seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Chaitman, Flores, Golub, Mock, Dunn (5)
NAYS: None (0)
Ms. Delevitt reported the February 28, 2022 meeting will have the Starbucks patio, Old National Bank and a possible new business in Deerfield Square.
Items from the Commission
Ms. Flores noted the Egg Harbor signage appears to be made of several pieces joined together. Ms. Delevitt noted it is a temporary sign. Ch. Dunn mentioned the Demetri’s/Scrambled sign is not secured. Ms. Flores asked how long holiday lights can be displayed. Ms. Delevitt noted there is no deadline to remove them, but she will keep an eye on lights around town.
Mr. Golub noticed one of the Sweetgreen windows with an opaque panel looks unfinished. He mentioned you can see the wall insulation through the window and it looks awful. Mr. Mock does not believe the panels are finished. Mr. Golub also noted the HVAC units are visible from the ground. He does not know if the screening has been installed. Ms. Delevitt will look into these.
Mr. Mock noted Starbucks is still storing boxed in the hallway visible from Deerfield Road. Ms. Delevitt noted it was brought up last month, and they will be coming to the Commission. She will address this.
Public Comment:
There was no Public Comment on non-agenda items on email, via Zoom or in person. Adjournment:
There being no further business or discussion, Mr. Mock moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Golub seconded the motion. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Chaitman, Flores, Golub, Mock, Dunn (5)
NAYS: None (0)
The meeting was adjourned at 9:27 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Appearance Review Commission will be held on February 28, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
http://www.deerfield.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01242022-829
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