ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT TO: CASTRO VALLEY MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL HEARING DATE: October 26, 2015 GENERAL INFORMATION APPLICATION TYPE & NUMBER: Sign Review, PLN-2015-00168 OWNER/ APPLICANT: Gustayino Holdings LLC/Durbin PROPOSAL: To allow removing three existing illuminated box signs and replace with two illuminated pan channel letter, wall-mounted signs (Denica s, Real Food Kitchen). ADDRESS AND SIZE OF PARCEL: 2723 Castro Valley Boulevard, south side, southeast corner of the intersection with Lake Chabot Road in the unincorporated Castro Valley area of Alameda County, designated Assessor s Parcel Number: 084A-0012-006-02. The parcel is approximately 36,121 square feet (0.83 acres) in area. ZONING: Sub Area 2 (Low Intensity Retail) within the Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan. GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION: The site lies within the boundary of the General Plan for the Castro Valley Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors on March 27, 2012. The Plan designates the site as Downtown Community Commercial (CBD-3) within the Central Business District General Plan Land Use. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Categorically Exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act, Class 1, Section 15301, and Existing Facilities. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation to the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council is to approve the replacement of the wall mounted signs included on drawings marked Exhibit B on file with the Alameda County Planning Department. If the Council determines that the replacement signs are appropriate, the enclosed conditions of approval should be considered. 1
PARCEL ZONING HISTORY June 21, 1951, 12 th Zoning Unit, ZU-12 designated the site as C-1 (Retail Business) District. September 12, 1974, 1164 th Zoning Unit, ZU-1164 rezoned the site to C-1-S (Retail Business, With Sign Restrictions) District. January 7, 1993, the Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan designated the site as Subarea 2: Strobridge/Lake Chabot South - Low Intensity Retail Frontage/ High Density Residential. DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION HISTORY Febrauary 8, 1956, Variance, V-584, approved installation of four light ploes on the front property line, within the 20 feet Special Building Line, in a C-2 (General Commercial) District. November 26, 1985, Use Review, UR-78, approved outdoor sale of Christmas tres and flowers as a temporary use, in a CVCBD SP Group C (Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan Landuse Group C, Low Volume, Predominantly Motor Vehicle Oriented Retail and Service Commercial, Wholesales Commercial and Industrial) District. June 17, 1986, Site Development Review, S-1035 and MS-1035, approved by the Board of Supervisors allowed a construction of 5,107 square feet restaurant (Bob s Big Boy) on a 35,000 square feet site, in a CVCBD SP Group C (Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan Landuse Group C, Low Volume, Predominantly Motor Vehicle Oriented Retail and Service Commercial, Wholesales Commercial and Industrial) District. April 13, 1992, Site Development Review, S-1365, approved two singlefaced illuminated wall signs 30 square feet in size each, in a CVCBD SP - SUB2, (Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan Subarea 2: Strobridge/Lake Chabot South - Low Intensity Retail Frontage/ High Density Residential) District. January 22, 1999, Site Development Review, S-1630, approved replacement of existing signs with three illuminated signs (Carrows Restaurant), in a CVCBD SP - SUB2, (Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan Subarea 2: Strobridge/Lake Chabot South - Low Intensity Retail Frontage/ High Density Residential) District. SITE AND CONTEXT DESCRIPTION Physical Features The subject site is a level and irregularly shaped 35,090 square-foot parcel. The lot averages 220 feet in depth and has 115 feet of frontage on Castro Valley Boulevard. It is bordered by a Conuty Flood Control channel to the southwest and a privately maintained public street aligned with Lake Chabot Road serving Quail Hill Apartments to the west. Currently there are three previousy existing box signs, Carrows Restaurant on the building tower faced the Castro Valley Boulevard (North side), adjacent businesses property (East side) and Lake Chabort Road (West side). Adjacent Area: The commercial property adjacent to the east is developed with two fast food restaurants (TOGO s and Burger King) along the Boulevard frontage and a small retail center at the rear of the lot. Behind the site, to the southwest, the Quail Hill Apartments complex. Property west of the site contains an office building, Primary Eye Care Optometric. 2
REFERRAL RESPONSES Alameda County Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau: In a referral response dated October 6, 2015, Fire Department Staff stated there are no comments on the application. Building Inspection Department: In a referral response dated October 13, 2015, Building Department Staff stated obtain building permit(s) from the building department for all new work(s) required building permit(s). Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce: In an electronic referral response dated October 8, 2015, Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber staff stated assuming that size parameters are met, the Chamber of Commerce supports the signage as proposed. Land Development, Public Works Agency: As of this writing, no comments have been received. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposal is to remove the three existing illuminated box signs (Carrows Restaurant) on the building tower and replace with two new illuminated pan channel letter wall signs. Sign A, located above the front entrance on the west side of the building, faces Lake Chabot Road. Sign B, located on the east side of the building, faces an exit driveway and adjacent business (TOGO s). The proposed signs are internally illuminated pan channel letters and logo. Letters will be fabricated of aluminium with 5-inch black returns. Faces is white translucent acrylic with teal green (#3630- Existing illuminated Carrows Restaurant box signs 246) translucent vinyl overlay with inset white show through border and 1 inch black trim cap returns on face. These two proposed signs are attached to the east and west side of the building tower both measuring 12 feet 8 inches by 2 feet 6 inches, 32 square feet each. The 32 square feet illuminated signs have both business name and logo. PROJECT DESCRIPTION This Site Development Review is to consider removing three existing illuminated box signs and replace with two illuminated pan channel letter wall-mounted signs on this property. STAFF ANALYSIS Conformance with the General Plan: The site lies within the boundary of the General Plan for the Castro Valley Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors on March 27, 2012. The Plan designates the site as Downtown Community Commercial (CBD-3) within the Central Business District General Plan Land Use. This designation is intended to provide a wide range of commercial goods and services to meet community needs generally in an auto-oriented setting. Typical uses include retail and commercial 3
services, comparison retail and office uses. The project being reviewed is only for signage and the Plan is silent when it comes sign review. Conformance with the Zoning Ordinance: Section 17.38.100 Business Signs of the Zoning Ordinance determines the area of signage on commercial zoned properties. Option I Wall Signs and Projecting Signs states, signs shall not exceed two square feet for each lineal foot of primary building frontage for the first 100 feet and one square foot for each one lineal foot of primary building frontage thereafter; plus one square feet for each lineal foot of secondary building frontage. The Zoning Ordinance allows a total of 164 square feet of signage facing Lake Chabot Road as primary building frontage and 82 square feet of signage faceing Castro Valley Boulevard on the East side and TOGO s on the west side of the building as secondary building frontage. The project proposes removed three previous illuminated box sign and replace with two pan channel letters signs; all will be the names and logos of the business, which face Lake Chabot Road (West side) and adjacent business, TOGO s (East side). These signs measures 32 square feet each for a total of 96 square feet. BUSINESS NAME BUILDING FRONTAGE SIGN AREA ALLOWED SIGN AREA PROPOSED Lake Chabot Rd. (Sign A) 82 feet 164 sq. ft. (ZO) 32 sq. ft. East Side of Building (Sign B) 82 feet 82 sq. ft. (ZO) 32 sq. ft. Conformance with the Specific Plan: Sign Regulation shall be based on the sign regulations of the Zoning Ordinance for the corresponding district as modified by the Design element of this Plan, and may also be modified by the Sign Review, which may increase or decrease the allowed sign area, to the extent that it is consistent with the Design Element of this Plan and the overall goals and policies of this Plan. The Castro Valley Central Business District Specific Plan Design Guidelines state that: A mounted wall sign shall be subservient to and consistent with the design of the building façade and business it serves, particularly in terms of size, location, material sand colors. Sign size, measured by area, shall not be disproportionate to the individual building façade or storefront, regardless of frontage ratios. The proposed signs area of 32 square feet does not exceed the zoning ordinance permitted primary sign area of primary sign area of 164 square feet and secondary sign area of 82 square feet. The proposed sign appears to be consistent with the design of the existing building. The proposal is under the total permitted sign area for the site. Signs shall not cover architectural elements, such as windows, parapets, and ornamental detail, but rather are to be located within flat, well-defined areas. The proposed signs are attached to the East and west side of the building tower faced the adjacent business property (East side) and Lake Chabot Road (West side) above the covered porch and trellises which are considered an architectural element. The proposed locations are in compliance wth the guidelines. Where necessary to provide information for site circulation, free standing signs may be used to identify entries, exits, on-site parking areas and other such components of a commercial development. 4
There is no free standing signs for site circulation are proposed. The parking lot has two accesses two-way access from/to the Lake Chabot Road and one-way exit only to the Castro Valley Boulevard. Both driveways have arrows indicated the parking lot circulation. Two-way access, Lake Chabot Rd. One-way exit only, Castro Valley Blvd. The use of more than a total of three colors on a sign, or use of florescent colors, is not allowed. The proposal includes a total of two wall mounted signs with two colors. All signs have a total of two colors which meets the intent of the specific plan. Signs displayed within window areas shall be limited to no more than 25% of the glass area. The use of individual letters etched or painted directly onto the window glass is preferred. There is no proposed of window signs for this signage application. Minor modifications of this proposal may be authorized upon a request from the applicant in writing for such modifications accompanied by drawings sufficient to show the proposed change. Summary: the proposed signage (32 squar-feet each, total of 64 square-feet) does not exceed the allowed square foot maximum of the Zoning Ordinance and meets the design policies of the Castro Valey Central Business Specific Plan. Also, three existing box signs will be removed and replaced with only two pan channel letter signs which reduce the building clutter. Therefore, the new signage does conform to the overall intent and regulations of the Specific Plan to create a more orderly and attractive visual environment within the Business District of Castro Valley. CONCLUSION Should the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council recommend approval as recommended by staff, the following are suggested conditions of approval that the Council may consider: 1. This permit authorizes removing three existing illuminated signs and replace with two pan channel letter signs/logo (Denica s, Real Food Kitchen) measuring 32 square feet each for the business located at 2723 Castro Valley Boulevard, Castro Valley, as described in the Exhibit B, labeled PLN2015-00168. 2. Applicant shall obtain appropriate building and all necessary county permits prior to installing the signs. 5
3. Any and all lighting for the proposed signs shall be designed, installed, and operated so as not to radiate or emit glare towards the neighboring residences. Lighting shall be oriented internally toward the site. The illumination intensity of lighting shall be sufficient only for the intended purpose and neither excessive nor unnecessary. Approval shall be secured from the Planning Director prior to the construction of any accessory structures, exterior facilities, or landscaping features not shown on said Exhibit. 4. Owner or successor shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Alameda County or its agents, officers, and employees from any claim, action, or proceeding against Alameda County or its agents, officers or employees to attack, set aside, void, or annul PLN2015-00168, Site Development Review, Signage or any subsequent Site Development Review. Such indemnification shall include, but not be limited to, an award of costs and attorney's fees incurred by Alameda County in its defense. The County shall promptly notify owner or successor of any such challenge. 5. Design and colors shall match those approved by the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council. 6. All signs on the property shall be maintained in an attractive manner at all times. 7. The permittee shall meet all the requirements of the following County Agencies: a. Building Inspection Department; b. Public Works Agency, Land Development and Traffic Division; c. Fire Department. ATTACHMENTS Referral Responses Site Photos of existing signage Graphics PREPARED BY: REVIEWED BY: Pat Anekayuwat Rodrigo Orduña H:\APPLICATIONS - 2015\PLN2015_00168\Staff Report\PLN2015-00168 MAC Report.doc 6