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Historic and Architectural Review Commission Sign Subcommittee Page 1 of 3
Meeting March 11, 2010
City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Sign Subcommittee Meeting
Draft Minutes
Thursday, March 11, 2010 4:00 p.m.
Georgetown Municipal Complex
300-1 Industrial Ave. Georgetown, TX 78626
Members present: Will Moore, Ron Pergl and Dee Rapp
Members absent: none
Staff present: Robbie Wyler, Historic District Planner; and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary
Call to order by Chair Moore at 4:05 p.m.
The Historic and Architectural Review Commission Sign Subcommittee is responsible for
hearing and taking final action on sign applications, by issuing Certificates of Design
Compliance based upon the City Council adopted Downtown Design Guidelines. This is a
regular scheduled meeting of the Sign Subcommittee, for consideration and possible action on
the following:
1. Review and possible approval of the minutes from the January 14, 2010, Sign Subcommittee
meeting.
Motion by Pergl to accept the Minutes as presented. Second by Rapp. Approved 3 – 0.
2. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for
new business signage, including both canopy and hanging signs, at City of Georgetown,
Block 38, Lots 2 & 3 (pt), also known as Book Pride, located at 109 W. 7th Street. (CDC-2010-
005)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant seeks Certificate of Design Compliance
(CDC) approval for two new signs. The first will be a canopy sign, installed atop the 7th
Street canopy. The sign will be constructed of light weight 1/8-inch thick polymetal, an
aluminum veneered solid plastic, and digitally painted with the book store’s name and logo.
The name “Book Pride”, in a dark brown Times New Roman font, will be centered inside a
white oval and an image of a crown will be placed above it in the business’s colors of gold,
orange and the same dark brown, as detailed on the provided sample. Measuring forty (40)
inches tall by forty-eight (48) inches wide, the sign will have a total area of 13.3 square feet.
The total length of the bookstore’s facade is twenty-five (25) feet. The sign will be attached to
the canopy using two (2) steel L-brackets and bolts, all painted black, and will be elevated to
be vertically centered with an adjacent canopy sign located just to the east. The distance
from the top of the sign to the canopy will be about fifty (50) inches. The applicant is not
proposing any lighting for the sign at this time.
The second sign proposed will be made out of the same material as the canopy sign and will
be installed underneath the ten (10) foot canopy, perpendicular to the bookstore’s entrance
door. Measuring twelve (12) inches tall by sixty (60) inches wide, the two-sided sign will
have a total area of five (5) square feet. The colors and name of the business will match that
of the proposed canopy sign, but the crown will be located to the left of “Book Pride” rather
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Meeting March 11, 2010
than above it. A black border will be printed around the name and logo as shown on the
provided rendering. The sign will be attached using two black S-hooks and chains and hung
to provide a clearance of eight (8) feet from the sidewalk to the bottom of the sign.
Guidelines used to support Staff Recommendation are 9.7, 9.9, 9.13, 9.15, 9.17, 9.18 and 9.21.
Wyler stated the only possible non-compliance with the application is the use of too many
colors, depending on the vote of the commission.
Paul and Marika Brown were introduced as the applicant owners. They are the owners of
both Book Pride and Poppy Tots, which is next door and the applicant for the next item on
the agenda. Rapp questioned the height of the handing sign. Wyler responded it is eight
feet from the sidewalk and consistent with the others on that same sidewalk. Moore spoke in
regards to the color selections and questioned the use of only three colors plus black and
white. There was discussion of the practicality of applying that rule and what it was based
on. It was also discussed that the commissioners were able to make exceptions to the
guideline at any time they felt the exception was warranted. Moore stated he wouldn’t mind
if there were an extra color or two if the sign is well designed. Crown stated that his
marketing team suggested being “subtle” and that is why brown was chosen over stark
black. He prefers brown on the signs.
Motion by Rapp to approve the signs as presented allowing two shades of white to count as
one color. Second by Pergl. Approved 3 -0.
3. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for
new business signage, including both canopy and hanging signs, at City of Georgetown,
Block 40, Lot 3 (c/pt), to be known as Poppy Tots, located at 711 S. Main St. (CDC-2010-006)
Wyler presented a brief staff report, stating these proposed signs were the same size, type
and dimensions as those presented in the previous agenda item. The applicant seeks
Certificate of Design Compliance (CDC) approval for two new signs. The first will be a
canopy sign, installed atop the Main Street canopy. The name, “poppy tots”, in a dark
brown, all lower case Bookman Old Style font, will be centered inside a white oval and an
image of three red poppies with green stems will be placed to the left of the name, as shown
on the renderings. The applicant is not proposing any lighting for the sign at this time.
The second sign proposed will be made out of the same material as the canopy sign and will
be installed underneath the ten (10) foot canopy, perpendicular to the store’s entrance door.
Measuring twelve (12) inches tall by thirty-six (36) inches wide, the two-sided sign will have
a total area of three (3) square feet. The colors and name of the business will match that of
the proposed canopy sign but the poppies will be located in between “poppy” and “tot”
rather than to the left of both. A black border will be printed around the rectangular sign
face, as shown on the provided rendering. The sign will be attached using two black S-hooks
and chains and hung to provide a clearance of eight (8) feet from the sidewalk to the bottom
of the sign. Guidelines used to support the staff recommendation of approval are: 9.7, 9.9,
9.13, 9.15, 9.17, 9.18 and 9.21.
Rapp questioned the lack of a black border on the picture of the canopy sign. Paul Crown
stated he decided to leave the black border off that sign. Pergl suggests adding a border to
that canopy sign because it is a white background sign against a white building facade and
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Meeting March 11, 2010
needs the border to stand out. Rapp suggested a brown border with green shading. Marika
liked that idea. There was discussion regarding the width the border should be. It was
decided the border of the canopy sign would be a 1 inch brown with a 1/2 inch green
shadow. The hanging sign would have a 1/2 inch brown border with a 1/4 inch green
shadow. All shading would be on the inside of the border.
Motion by Pergl to accept the signs as presented with the stipulation that the signs both
have a border on them and that the maximum size of those borders be as described: the
border of the canopy sign would be a 1 inch brown with a 1/2 inch green shadow. The
hanging sign would have a 1/2 inch brown border with a 1/4 inch green shadow. All
shading would be on the inside of the border. Second by Rapp. Approved 3 – 0.
4. Adjournment. Chair Moore adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m.
__________________________________ _________________________________
Approved, Will Moore, Chair Attest, Dee Rapp, Commissioner