Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 9388 (Grant PC Appeal - 1600 Los Gamos)RESOLUTION NO. 9 3 8 8 RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL GRANTING THE APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DENIAL OF A SIGN ADJUSTMENT FOR THREE BUILDING MOUNTED TENANT IDENTIFICATION SIGNS (SR94-44): 1600 Los Gamos Road, San Rafael, APN 165-010-96; Philip Murphy, the GNU Group, Appellant; Kronos Property Holdings, N.V., Owner; J. Edgar Fennie, AIA, Representative WHEREAS, a Sign Adjustment application was received to allow 707 square feet of signage, including 500 square feet of tenant identification wall signs and 207 square feet of building identification and tenant identification freestanding signs; and, WHEREAS, the Design Review Board reviewed the proposal and recommended that too many signs were proposed for the site; and WHEREAS, the applicant revised the sign program to reduce the total square footage to 457.5 and reduce the number of tenant identification signs to three with 31" letters and the proposal was reviewed by the Planning Commission at a duly noticed hearing on December 13,1994; and, WHEREAS, the Planning Commission considered all public testimony and referred the tenant identification signs to the Design Review Board for further review; and WHEREAS, the Design Review Board reviewed the revised sign program on February 7, 1995 and a majority of the Board recommended approval of three tenant identification walls signs with 24" high letters, a maximum square footage for each sign, and halolit letters; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the sign proposal again on March 28, 1995 and determined that a "market" need for business identification does not justify a compromise in zoning ordinance standards; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission voted to deny the three tenant identification signs and approve one 150 square foot "Marin Technology Center" building identification sign with 24" letters; and WHEREAS, Philip Murphy, acting on behalf of the GNU Group, appealed the Planning Commission's decision to the City Council and requested that the City Council approve the application based on the following points: 1. The dynamics of single user office buildings have changed significantly since Fireman's Fund signed the master lease on this building. Due to corporate downsizing and other workplace changes, the ability to find a single user for a 340,000 square foot building is rare in today's marketplace. 1 IJR-Itl1N.- A-,� I. A384 2. Real estate studies indicate that there will be a glut of office space coming on line in Marin County in 1995. Figures range between two and three million square feet. 3. A recurring deal point surfacing in negotiations regarding leasing of the building is the availability of signage on the building with freeway exposure. 4. Marin Technology Center is the largest single office building in San Rafael. 5. Building setbacks for vehicular traffic viewing from Highway 101 are 250 feet directly in front of the building to over 500 feet at a lateral angle. 6. The building is made up of three separate modules or wings. Each one is 75,000 square feet or more, which would be considered a large building in its own right in the Marin marketplace. 7. Each of the three proposed signs would be 275 feet apart on the building; and WHEREAS, the City Council considered the appeal at a duly noticed public hearing on June 5, 1995 and received public testimony on this item from all interested parties; and WHEREAS, the City Council determined that the appeal points 4, 5, 6 and 7 held merit. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the San Rafael City Council hereby makes the following determinations and findings related to the points of the appeal: Points 1, 2, and 3. The criteria for sign adjustments to allow additional sign area and an additional number of signs contained in Section 14.19.060A. and Section 14.19060B of the zoning ordinance does not contain provisions for considering commercial leasing issues as grounds for granting adjustments. These points are denied. 4. The Marin Technology Center, at 340,000 square feet in area and 620 feet in length, is the largest building in San Rafael. Sign adjustments can be granted to allow a sign to be in proper scale with the building. Additional signage is warranted because of the size of the building.. 5. An adjustment to allow an additional number of signs can be granted to compensate for inadequate visibility or to facilitate good design balance. The building was originally designed to orient to the freeway and not Los Gamos Road and the adjustment is warranted because of the distance and building orientation. 6 and 7. A majority of the Design Review Board recommended that three signs would be appropriate on this building because the building modulars are designed to appear as three separate buildings. The sign adjustment for additional signs can be granted to facilitate good design balance. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council grants the appeal subject to the conditions contained in Exhibit A and adopts the following findings: 1. A sign adjustment is granted to allow three tenant identification wall signs on the east building elevation with a total square footage of 276 square feet, with the largest sign not to exceed 92 square feet in area. The sign letters cannot exceed 24" in height, must have a single typeface, and are limited to halo illumination. The adjustment to allow the additional sign area is warranted because the Marin Technology Center, at 340,000 square feet in area and 620 feet in length, is the largest building in San Rafael. The sign adjustment allows signs to be in proper scale with the building and the additional signage is warranted because of the size of the building. E 2. A sign adjustment to allow an additional number of signs compensates for inadequate visibility and facilitates good design balance. The building was originally designed to orient to the freeway and not Los Gamos Road and the adjustment is warranted because of the distance and building orientation. A majority of the Design Review Board recommended that three signs would be appropriate on this building because the building modulars are designed to appear as three separate buildings. The sign adjustment for additional signs facilitates good design balance. I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on the 19th day of June, 1995 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Zappetini NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Mayox Boro ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None U JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk EXHIBIT A CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL 1. This sign permit shall be valid for two years, or until June 19, 1997 and shall become null and void if a building permit is not issued. Prior to expiration of this permit, a time extension may be granted by the City's Planning Commission. 2. This sign adjustment grants three tenant identification wall signs on the east building elevation with a total square footage of 276 square feet, with the largest sign not to exceed 92 square feet in area. The sign letters cannot exceed 24" in height, must have a single typeface, and are limited to halo illumination. 3. All other signage on the site must comply with the Planning Commission's approval of March 28, 1995. The approved signage consists of the following: 1) Sign A 1 si • A 22 foot high, 32.5 square foot freestanding building identification sign located adjacent to the east property line, where the existing Fireman's Fund sign is located; 2) Sigp C (2 s�ps): 5 foot high, 8 square foot freestanding parking directory signs. These signs are located at the driveway entrances on the east side of Los Gamos Road. 3) S�Wi D (2 sigps): Existing freestanding tenant identification signs (20 square feet and 45 square feet) located adjacent to the west building elevation. 4. The materials, techniques and appearance of the signs, as presented for approval, shall be the same as required for the issuance of a building permit. Any modifications shall be subject to review and approval by the Planning Department.