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Meeting Date: March 10, 2014
TOWN OF MORAGA
STAFF REPORT_
To:
Chair and Members of the Design Review Board
From:
Brian Horn, Associate Planner
Subject:
Reconsideration of Previous Design Review (DRB 25-13) to
install a halo illuminated canopy sign on the east elevation of
an existing building at 556-560 Moraga Road. (CC, BH)
Request
Reconsider and APPROVE the attached Design Review Board Sign Application
DRB # 25-13 pursuant to Moraga Municipal Code (MMC) Sections 8.12.250 and
8.88.280 subject to findings and conditions of approval.
Background
In November 2013 a sign permit application was submitted for the proposed
Massage Envy, to be located at 556-560 Moraga Road, in the Rheem Center.
The proposed sign is illustrated in Attachment E.
As shown, it comprises
individual raised letters reading read ‘Massage Envy ~ Spa’ on a single line of
copy. The proposal included using letters ranging in size from 18 inches to 10
inches in height and of varying font styles. (Additional details of the originally
proposed sign design are outlined in the Discussion section, below)
The project was brought before the Design Review Board (DRB) on January 13,
2014. Staff did not recommend approval of the sign as proposed, on the basis
that it was not consistent with the Rheem Shopping Center unified sign program
since the proposed font size would exceed 12 inches in height and that there was
more than 1 font type on a single line of text.
Staff instead recommended three alternate design options that could
accommodate the applicant’s desired sign copy and fonts:
1. Placing the text on two separate lines which would result in the individual
letters in the first line being reduced to 8 inches in height and on the second
line 4 inches in height, or
2. Removing the work ‘~ Spa’ from the sign (allowing for remaining letters to be
12 inches high); or
3. Placing all copy on a single line and using a uniform font and 12” letter height
The DRB asked the applicant’s representative which of the three alternatives
they would prefer; to which the representative stated that option 3 would be
preferred. The sign was approved by the DRB to reflect design option 3.
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On January 16 staff received an email from the applicant stating that requiring
the sign to be single font was an infringement of Massage Envy Spa’s trademark,
and the Town could therefore not mandate the option that was approved.
Since that time, the applicant and staff have been in discussion about potential
options to resolve the matter in a mutually acceptable way, and the Planning
Director requested Reconsideration of the DRB’s approval to modify the
approved design. Although the item was originally noticed to come before the
DRB on February 10, 2014, it was continued until March 10, 2014 to allow
additional time for discussion between the applicant and staff.
The remainder of this staff report focuses on key aspects relevant to the DRB’s
reconsideration of its prior approval. Background information on the site location,
existing conditions and planning context are provided in the January 13, 2013
staff report, included as Attachment C.
Discussion
Original and Approved Sign Proposal
As outlined above, the original sign proposed November 13, 2013 included
individual raised letters reading read ‘Massage Envy ~ Spa’ on a single line of
copy. The proposal included using letters ranging in size from 18 inches to 10
inches in height and of varying font styles
The sign would measure 14 feet 7 3/8 inches in length and the total sign area
was approximately 22 square feet. The proposed letters would be made of
aluminum and painted ‘brilliant gold #286-400, satin’ on the face and sides. The
sign would be halo illuminated with light-emitting diodes (LED) strips mounted
inside the channel letters. The LEDs would illuminate the fascia board behind the
sign to create a halo lighting effect
The DRB’s approval reflected a similar total size, lighting and materials, but
modified the layout of the proposed sign copy to include a single line of text and
uniform letter height.
Revised Sign Proposal
The sign proposal has been revised to have two fonts on one line of text which is
consistent with Massage Envy’s trademarked logo.
The use of two font types on a single line required a reexamination of the font
sizes The original November submittal of the ‘Massage Envy Spa’ design
contained characters drawn in a cursive style ranging from 18 inches in height to
10 1/2 inches in height and a second font style for the word ‘Spa’ with characters
of a consistent 13 7/8 inches in height. (See Attachment E)
As discussed above, the DRB approval from January 14, 2014 permitted the sign
to have one font type of 12 inches in height on one line of text.
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As a compromise, staff has suggested that the height of the word ‘Spa’ be used
as the base height for the sign in determining the overall character height. This
would result in the letters in ‘Spa’ being 12 inches in height, the majority of the
cursive lettering being reduced to 9 1/8 inches in height and four characters (M,
G, E, Y) being 15 1/2 inches in height. The average font height for the proposed
sign would be 11 1/2 inches (See Attachment F). The differences between the
various iterations of signs proposed is summarized in Table 1.
Table 1: Sign Font Height
Font Type
November
Font Height(s)
Submittal
Font Approved by
Heights
DRB
01/14/2014
‘Massage
18 inches in height Maximum 12
Envy’
for the M, G, E inch height
Cursive
and Y and 10 1/2
inches in height
for the remainder.
‘Spa’
Maximum 12 inch Maximum 12
height
inch height
Reconsideration
Recommendation
Font Heights
15 1/2 inches height
for the M, G, E and Y
and 9 1/8 inches in
height
for
the
remainder.
Maximum 12 inch
height
Additionally, because the characters of the sign will be reduced in size the
applicant is proposing to relocate the sign from the northernmost frontage to the
southernmost frontage on Center Street to increase sign visibility which was
partially obstructed by trees in the previous location. The revised sign location is
illustrated in Figure 1
Figure 1: Sign Relocation
Sign location approved by
DRB 01/14/2014
Proposed sign location
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Conformance with Applicable Regulations and Design Guidelines
Staff reviewed the proposed revised sign for conformance with the Moraga
Municipal Code (MMC), General Plan, and Design Guidelines. A summary and
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analysis of the Municipal Code standards and Design Guidelines that are
applicable to the project is provided in Attachment B.
1. General Sign Regulations: The proposed signs conform to the size, height,
location, projection and lettering composition requirements of the Sign
Ordinance in the Municipal Code. The proposed sign would be illuminated
with LEDs in a halo style. The LEDs would be mounted on the back of the
raised letters. The level of illumination for the halo lighting would be required,
as a condition of approval, not to exceed 5 foot-candles at 10 feet of distance.
2. Scenic Corridor: The proposed sign would not visually dominate the existing
landforms or vegetation on the scenic corridor because the sign would be
mounted on the existing fascia board approximately 425 feet from Moraga
Road. It would not extend above the building roofline or in front of any
landscaping, blocking views around the shopping center. Furthermore the
proposed halo lighting would be a subtle form of illumination that would not
cause undue glare or brightness that would detract from the appearance of
the scenic corridor.
3. Design Guidelines: While the project conforms to the general design
guidelines for signs, it differs from the guidelines specific to the Rheem
Shopping Center uniform sign program. The Rheem Shopping Center uniform
sign program Section B.i and B.iv outlines the basic criteria for tenant
identification canopy signs and Halo lighting to be:
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•
Individual, raised, gold-leafed letters (8”, Century Schoolbook, medium
type) on the first line of copy.
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•
White letters (4” Helvetica type) on the second line of copy, if any.
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“Halo-type” lighted gold-leaf signs may be “back-lighted”.
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•
All halo-type signs shall have a front setback of not less than 50 feet and
shall be subject to design review by the Design Review Board to assure
design compatibility with the use that the sign is identifying as well as
neighboring uses.
The proposed sign does not conform to the following three guidelines in the
Rheem Shopping Center uniform sign program:
(1) Some of the individual letters would exceed the maximum allowed height and;
(2) The individual letters would be alternate fonts that are not Century
Schoolbook or Helvetica and;
(3) There would be more than one font type per line of text.
To be consistent with other similar smaller tenants in the shopping center, staff
would normally recommend that sign characters be a maximum size of 12 inches
in height. However, the trademarked logo for Massage Envy contains letters of
varying size. As described, the largest letters would be 15 ½ inches in height,
with a proportional decrease in the size of other sign characters. As proposed, all
but four of the characters will be less than 12 inches in height and the average
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character height of all the characters would be 11 ½ inches. Staff believes that
the intent of the sign program will still be achieved and that this exception would
strike a balance between being consistent with the sign program and not
infringing on the Massage Envy trademark.
Regarding font style, staff recommends that the applicant be allowed to use two
alternate fonts on one line, to allow the sign to meet the Massage Envy ~ Spa
franchise trademark. As a franchisee, use of the trademark is important to the
business identification.
Several corporate businesses within the Rheem
Shopping Center, such as Nations and Great Clips, have been permitted to use
fonts that differ from those specified in the sign standards for Rheem Center
(noting that these typically have been a single font type on one line of text).
Additionally, laws related to trademarked logos limit the Towns ability to enforce
specific design guidelines that would infringe upon a trademarked logo.
Finally, the submitted plan sets shows the existing green fascia board with a light
purple hue. While this may just be a printing discrepancy, condition of approval
#12 requires maintaining the green fascia board.
General Plan Consistency: The 2002 General Plan contains the following
applicable policy:
1. Policy CD3.6 – Development Standards and Design Guidelines: Adopt
development standards and design guidelines for Scenic Corridors to control
site design and setbacks, landscaping, infrastructure locations, grading and
signage.
Staff Analysis: Standards set in the Sign Ordinance, Scenic Corridor
Ordinance, and Design Guidelines are applicable to the proposed sign. Signs
play a key role in identifying the locations of local business and creating an
image for a business and the Town. The proposed signage is consistent with
the Sign Ordinance and Scenic Corridor Ordinance, and substantially
conforms to the Town’s Design Guidelines, with the exception of the
modification to the standard size and font type of the Rheem Shopping Center
to allow Massage Envy to utilize its trademark font consistent with other
approved signs within the shopping center for chain businesses with
trademarked logos.
Recommendation
Due to the project’s consistency with the Zoning Ordinance and General Plan,
and minimal impact on surrounding properties, staff recommends that the Design
Review Board Reconsider and APPROVE the attached Design Review Board
Sign Application DRB # 25-13 pursuant to Moraga Municipal Code (MMC)
Sections 8.12.250 and 8.88.280 subject to findings and conditions of approval.
Report reviewed by:
Attachments:
A.
Shawna Brekke-Read, Planning Director
Draft Action Memo
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B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Summary of Sign Ordinance and Design Guidelines Analysis
January 13, 2014 Staff Report
Rheem Shopping Center Uniform Sign Program
Previous Project Plans dated November 13, 2013
Revised Project Plans dated February 27, 2014
Massage Envy Corporate Logo
6
ATTACHMENT A
DRAFT ACTION
MEMORANDUM
Town of Moraga
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
329 RHEEM BOULEVARD
MORAGA, CA 94556
(925) 888-7040
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ACTION MEMORANDUM
On March 10, 2014, the Town of Moraga Design Review Board considered the application
described below:
DRB #25-13 – Arrow Sign Company (Applicant), PK I Rheem Valley, LP
(Owner) 556 - 560 Center Street: Design Review to install a wall sign on the
east elevation of an existing building.
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ACTION:
The DESIGN REVIEW BOARD hereby approves the wall sign in accordance with the
following findings and conditions:
PART 1: DESIGN REVIEW FINDINGS FOR SIGN:
In accordance with Moraga Municipal Code (MMC) Section 8.88.280, the following findings
must be made by the Design Review Board for approval of signs:
1. The sign has the same character and quality of design as the exterior architecture of
the property and area where it is located. The sign will utilize individual raised gold
lettering and backlit halo lighting consistent with the Rheem Shopping Center uniform
sign program. Although the sign will not use 8 inch high Century Schoolbook font, the
Design Review Board finds that the use of the trademark Massage Envy ~ Spa font is
necessary for proper business identification and would not have a negative impact on
the overall appearance of the shopping center.
2. The location of the sign will not impair the use of the property or conflict with the
visibility, location or arrangement of existing adjacent signs. The sign will be located on
the fascia board below the leading edge of the canopy that is provided by the shopping
center for business signage. The halo lighting will be backlit and restricted to a
maximum intensity of 5 foot candles at 10 feet distance, so it will not cause under glare
or interfere with adjacent signs. The tenant space is set back approximately 425 feet
from Moraga Road so it would not be visually dominant on the scenic corridor.
PART 2: CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL:
1.
The plans submitted for a building permit to install a wall sign at 556 - 560 Center Street
shall be substantially in accordance with the plans approved by the Design Review
Board on March 10, 2014 and this Design Review Board Action Memorandum. Any
Page 1 of 3 – Final Action Memorandum (File No. DRB 25-13)
significant changes to the plans will require re-submittal to the Design Review Board for
approval.
Conditions Shall be Printed on Plans
2.
The conditions of this approval shall be printed on the first sheet of each plan set
submitted for a building permit pursuant to this approval, under the title ‘Design Review
Board Conditions.’ The second sheet may also be used if the first sheet is not of
sufficient size to list all of the conditions. The sheet(s) containing the conditions shall be
of the same size as those sheets containing the construction drawings; 8-1/2” by 11”
sheets are not acceptable.
Applicant Responsible for Compliance with Conditions
3.
The applicant shall ensure compliance with all of the following conditions. Failure to
comply with any condition may result in construction being stopped, issuance of a
citation, and/or modification or revocation of the approval.
Subject to all Town and Other Regulations
4.
The approved signs are subject to, and shall comply with, all applicable Town
Ordinances and laws and regulations of other governmental agencies.
5.
The applicant shall apply for and pay all appropriate fees for building permits, plan
checks and inspections.
During Construction
6.
Construction hours shall be limited to the hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday.
Prior to Issuance of a Building Permit
7.
Prior to issuance of the building permit, the applicant shall submit plans detailing the
following, consistent with the Rheem Shopping Center uniform sign program:
a. Gold lettering.
b. A letter height of 15 1/2 inches or less for the script style letters M, G, E and Y.
c. A letter height of 9 1/8 inches or less for the remaining script style letters.
d. A letter height of 12 inches or less for each of the letters in the word ‘SPA’.
At All Times
8.
The sign shall be maintained and kept in a safe and secure condition at all times.
9.
The sign shall be illuminated only during the hours of operation of the associated
business.
Page 2 of 3 – Final Action Memorandum (File No. DRB 25-13)
10. The intensity of the signs illumination shall not exceed five foot-candles of illumination
measured at ten (10) feet.
11. Exposed neon tube or LED signs are prohibited.
12. No changing of the green fascia board color is permitted.
13. Decorative product type signs used for purposes of interior design, such as informative
or decorative type signs, shall be erected only within the business establishment and
shall be located no closer than six (6) feet to an exterior window or open doorway.
14. This permit and each condition contained herein shall be binding upon applicant and any
transferor, or successor in interest.
15. If construction is not commenced within one year from the date of final action, the permit
becomes null and void. However, this discretionary action may be renewed by the
Planning Director for a maximum period of one year provided the applicant places such
a request in writing to the Planning Director showing good cause prior to the expiration
of the discretionary action.
Design Review Board action is appealable to the Planning Commission within 10 calendar
days after the date of the decision. Questions regarding the action of the Design Review
Board should be directed to the Town of Moraga Planning Department at (925) 888-7040.
__________________________
Shawna Brekke-Read
Planning Director
Page 3 of 3 – Final Action Memorandum (File No. DRB 25-13)
ATTACHMENT B
SUMMARY OF SIGN
ORDINANCE AND DESIGN
GUIDELINES CONFORMANCE
ANALYSIS
D e s i g n
R e v i e w
B o a r d
SGN # 25-13 Attachment B
General Sign Regulations: The following code regulations apply to the proposed signs:
MMC Regulation
Analysis
8.88.060 Area – General.
No sign may have an area exceeding two hundred
(200) square feet.
The proposed sign would not have areas exceeding
200 square feet. The sign would be 16.4 square feet in
size.
8.88.080 Area—Walls
A wall sign may not exceed ten percent of the wall's
area.
8.88.100 Location.
A sign shall be located only on the frontage of a
premise.
8.88.110 Letters – Lights.
A. No letter or character contained in a sign shall be
over four feet high.
B. Lighted signs require design review approval and
the intensity shall not exceed five foot-candles of
illumination measured at ten (10) feet.
8.88.120 Projections – Heights.
A. No part of a sign may project above the roof line or
ridge line of the building to which it is attached.
B. A sign shall not project more than one foot
horizontally from a building.
D. A sign on a wall shall not extend higher than fifteen
(15) feet above the ground.
The tenant space in an ‘L’ shape with approximately 54
feet of linear frontage on Center Street. The front of the
tenant space is 195 square feet in area (11 feet high by
54 feet wide). The sign would be 22 square feet, which
is less than 59.4 square feet, which would be
proportionally ten percent of the total wall frontage.
The proposed sign would be located on the frontage of
the premise (east side of the building) facing across the
parking lots towards Moraga Road.
The proposed sign letters would be a maximum of 12
inches in height. The sign is proposing halo
illumination, which would be required to be less than 5
foot candles at ten feet in intensity by the condition of
approval #10.
The proposed sign would be on the fascia board and
would not project above the roofline of the building.
The proposed sign would project a total of four and a
half inches horizontally from the building. The sign
would be mounted on the fascia board which is 15 feet
above the ground.
Scenic Corridor: The proposed signs are subject to the applicable guidelines under MMC
Section 8.132.050-B because they are within the Moraga Road scenic corridor:
Guideline
4: Each structure or feature reviewable under this
chapter shall be limited to scale and siting to reduce
visual dominance or obstruction of existing landforms,
vegetation, water bodies and adjoining structures.
Analysis
The sign mounted on the existing fascia board of the
shopping center would not obstruct views of landforms
or vegetation because it would be incorporated into the
existing shopping center space. The proposed halo
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
Page 2 of 4
January 13, 2014
Guideline
Analysis
illumination is a more subtle form of sign lighting and
would not be visually dominant because it is
approximately 425 feet from Moraga Road.
5: Each structure shall be constructed, painted and
maintained and all planted material shall be planted
and maintained to complement and enhance scenic
views and the natural landscape.
The sign would be manufactured and installed by
Arrow Sign Company and maintained by the business
owner. Condition #8 requires year round maintenance
of the sign in a safe and secure condition.
7: Lighting shall be compatible in type, style and
intensity to the surrounding elements and not cause
undue or aggravating disruption, glare and brightness.
The proposed halo lighting would reflect off of the
green background of the fascia board and should not
cause undue glare or brightness.
Design Guidelines: The following design guidelines apply to the proposed signs:
Design Guideline
CC3 Signs
CC3.1: All signs should be related to their
surroundings in terms of size, shape, color, texture,
and lighting so that they are complimentary to the
overall design and not in competition with other signs
in the area.
Analysis
The size of the sign would be comparable to other
area businesses. While the letters would be larger than
the 8 inches standard in the shopping center, there
would only be one line of text so it would still fit within
the fascia board space for a minor tenant. Additionally,
Massage Envy ~ Spa is consolidating three tenant
spaces into one thereby resulting in less total signage.
The text Massage Envy ~ Spa’ is the franchise
trademark, so the style and font would not be the hand
carved Century Schoolbook, however the color would
match the gold of other tenants as required by
condition # 7.
CC3.2 Signs should be subtle and unobtrusive,
conveying their message in a clear and legible
fashion, and should be vandal-and weather-resistant.
The proposed aluminum letters would be durable and
the single line of copy that is an average of 11 1/2
inches in height would be legible from Center Street
and the parking lots.
CC3.4 Lighted signs, whether internally or externally
illuminated, should be avoided, except where found to
be necessary for location or identification, or as
otherwise deemed appropriate by these guidelines.
The proposed sign would be backlit in a halo style.
The location is far from the roadway and the halo
illumination will make the small storefront easily
identifiable to customers in the evening during
business hours.
CC3.6 All lighted accessory signs (primarily business
identification signs) whether or not neon, shall be
submitted to the Design Review Board for approval
and shall be in conformity with any approved sign and
design policy for the center, building complex or area.
The uniform sign program for the Rheem Shopping
Center allows for Design Review Board approval of
halo lit signs so long as they are set back 50 feet or
more. The proposed sign is set back approximately
425 feet from Moraga Road and is being reviewed per
File:
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
Page 3 of 4
January 13, 2014
Design Guideline
Analysis
this application.
CC3.7 Exposed neon tubing, whether for signing or
decoration, is not normally considered in good taste
for exterior display and is discouraged.
There are no exposed neon tubing proposed.
Condition #11 prohibits the display of exposed neon or
LED signs.
CC3.11 Tenant signs within the Rheem Shopping
Center shall follow a uniform signing program, in
accordance with these standards:
b) Signing for other than major tenants:
i) Basic criteria: The tenant identification on the
sign board provided below the leading edge of
the canopy and visible to the front of the
building will utilize individual, raised, nonilluminated gold-leafed letters (8”, Century
Schoolbook, medium type) on the first line of
copy and white letters (4” Helvetica type) on
the second copy, if any.
ii) Basic size: Thickness----4 inches; Height----14
inches; Width----36 inches.
iii) Although other shapes may differ from basic
dimensions, total area may not exceed five
square feet per side.
iv) Construction standards:
1) Constructed of laminated, vertical, 2”x4”
clear, kiln-dried redwood
2) Reinforced with two 3/8” threaded steel
rods
3) 3” outside borders sandblasted
4) Copy, border bank, logo art, etc. raised
with background hand carved out one full
inch
5) Sandblasted borders sealed with clear
sealer
6) Background area sealed with two coats of
semi-gloss Varathane
7) Border band flat white
v) “Halo-type” lighted gold-leaf signs may be
“back-lighted” in accordance with official
exhibit approved by the Planning Commission
on 4/19/82 and attached to Resolution 49-81.
All halo-type signs shall have a front setback
of not less than 50 feet and shall be subject to
design review by the Design Review Board to
assure design compatibility with the use that
the sign is identifying as well as neighboring
uses.
The proposed sign is for tenant identification and
would be on the sign board provided below the leading
edge of the canopy and visible to the front of the
building. The sign would utilize individual raised letters.
The sign would differ from the guidelines in that the
sign would not use the carved sandblasted Century
Schoolbook font because the Massage Envy ~ Spa
franchise uses a specific lettering as their trademark,
and the business, as a franchisee, is required to use
this trademark for their business identification. The
sign would be painted Brilliant Gold #286-400, satin
and in the trademark Massage Envy ~ Spa font. The
letters would be required to match the colors of the
Rheem Shopping Center per condition #7. This
modification of font in the design would allow for the
use of the trademark, while remaining within the color
scheme and placement standards of the shopping
center. Similarly, other franchises, such as Nations
and Subway, have used their trademarks within the
Rheem Shopping Center.
File:
The halo lighting would be backlit in conformance to
the Rheem Shopping Center uniform sign program.
The tenant space is set back approximately 425 feet
from Moraga Road so it would not be visually
dominant. The halo lighting would be appropriate for
massage and spa services which operate into the
evening.
ATTACHMENT C
STAFF REPORT DATED
JANUARY 13, 2014
D
E S I G N
R E V I E W
B O A R D
S
T
A
F
F
R
E
P
O
R
T
FOR BOARD ACTION
JANUARY 13, 2014
556 – 560 Center Street – Massage Envy Spa
Consider Design Review (DRB 25-13) to install a halo illuminated canopy
sign on the east elevation of an existing building. (CC, BH)
I.
Application Basics
A. Zoning Permits Required:
· Design Review, under Moraga Municipal Code (MMC) Section 8.88.110-B
(Letters—Lights), 8.132.040-A(4) (Scenic Corridors), exceptions from Rheem
Center Uniform Sign Program for font type and font size.
B. CEQA Determination: Categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the
CEQA Guidelines (“Class 1, Existing Facilities”)
C. Parties Involved:
·
Arrow Sign Company, 1051 46th Ave., Oakland, CA 94601
Applicant
· Business Owner Laura Lott, 1503 Central Ave., Alameda, CA 94501
· Property Owner
PK I Rheem Valley, LP, 3333 New Hyde Park Road, Suite
100, New Hyde Park, NY, 11042
Table 1: Project Chronology
Date
Action
November 13, 2013
Application submitted
December 12, 2013
Application deemed complete
December 23, 2013
Public meeting notices mailed/posted
January 13, 2014
Design Review Board meeting
February 10, 2014
PSA deadline
1
1. Project must be heard, approved or denied within 60 days after being deemed complete if exempt from
CEQA, or 60 days after adoption of a negative declaration, or 180 days after adoption of an EIR (Govt.
Code Section 65950).
329 Rheem Boulevard  Moraga, CA 94556  (925) 888-7040  planning@moraga.ca.us  www.moraga.ca.us
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
January 13, 2014
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
Page 2 of 6
Table 2: Special Characteristics
Characteristic
Scenic Corridor
Lighting
Applies to
Project?
Yes
Yes
Explanation
Project site is within 500-feet of Moraga Rd.
Application proposes ‘halo’ indirect lighted wall sign
Figure 1: Vicinity Map
Project Site
II.
Project Setting
A. Neighborhood/Area Description:
The project site is located within the Rheem Shopping Center. The shopping center
is designed with the majority of the businesses having storefronts on the interior
roadway, Center Street. The parking lots are located to the east between Center
Street and Moraga Road. Non-major shopping center tenants fronting on Center
Street have their business name in gold and white lettering on a green fascia board
mounted on a decorative wood canopy which extends across all of the tenant
spaces. Some of the tenants, such as Nation’s and Tangleo’s, have halo lit signs.
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
January 13, 2014
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
Page 3 of 6
Most non-major tenants have one sign on the fascia board, except for Nation’s and
Little Hardy Noodle, which occupy corner spaces with one sign on each frontage.
Additionally, some businesses also have window signs and shingle signs mounted
on the underside of the wood canopy
B. Site Conditions:
The project site consists of three consolidated tenant spaces, totaling approximately
54 feet of linear frontage, located between Moraga Jewelers and a vacant space
adjacent to the Dollar Tree in an attached building on Center Street. The “L”-shape
includes the southernmost building facade which is approximately 14 feet long, the
building then steps back (west) approximately 22 feet from Center Street to a third
northernmost frontage which is approximately 39 feet long. The total linear frontage
along Center Street is approximately 54 feet. The building is single story and made
of cinder block, with a decorative wood canopy covering the walkway that is
supported by wood columns. Mounted on the front of the canopy is green fascia
board that extends across all the attached tenant spaces. The storefront is
comprised of display windows and three front doors. The Planning Department
recently approved tenant improvements which include placing a white film over the
existing windows and new walls behind the windows along the southernmost 14 foot
frontage and 22 foot step back to allow privacy for the massage rooms. The lobby
will be on the remaining 39 foot frontage with the proposed sign above.
Figure 2: View of Site, Current
Approximate sign location
Frontage Area
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
January 13, 2014
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
Page 4 of 6
III. Project Description
The applicant proposes to install a new canopy sign on the shopping center fascia
board. The sign would be made of individual raised letters that would read ‘Massage
Envy ~ Spa’ on a single line of copy. The proposed sign would use letters ranging in
size from 18 inches to 10 inches in height. The sign would measure 14 feet 7 3/8 inches
in length and the total sign area would be approximately 22 square feet. The letters
would extend 4 1/2 inches from the fascia board, with a sign depth of three inches
mounted on 1 1/2 inch standoffs. The letters would be made of aluminum and painted
‘brilliant gold #286-400, satin’ on the face and sides. The sign would be halo illuminated
with light-emitting diodes (LED) strips mounted inside the channel letters. The LEDs
would illuminate the fascia board behind the sign to create the halo lighting effect.
IV. Community Discussion
The public meeting notice was mailed to 30 property owners within a 500-foot radius of
the site and posted near the site on December 23, 2013. The Planning Department did
not receive any written correspondence regarding the project.
V. Issues and Analysis
A. Key Issues: Staff reviewed the project for conformance with the Moraga Municipal
Code (MMC), General Plan, and Design Guidelines. A summary and analysis of the
Municipal Code standards and Design Guidelines that are applicable to the project is
provided in Attachment B.
1. General Sign Regulations: The proposed signs conform to the size, height,
location, projection and lettering composition requirements of the Sign Ordinance
in the Municipal Code. The proposed sign would be illuminated with LEDs in a
halo style. The LEDs would be mounted on the back of the raised letters. The
level of illumination for the halo lighting would be required, as a condition of
approval, not to exceed 5 foot-candles at 10 feet of distance.
2. Scenic Corridor: The proposed sign would not visually dominate the existing
landforms or vegetation on the scenic corridor because the sign would be
mounted on the existing fascia board approximately 425 feet from Moraga Road.
It would not extend above the building roofline or in front of any landscaping,
blocking views around the shopping center. Furthermore the proposed halo
lighting would be a subtle form of illumination that would not cause undue glare or
brightness that would detract from the appearance of the scenic corridor.
3. Design Guidelines: While the project conforms to the general design guidelines
for signs, it differs from the guidelines specific to the Rheem Shopping Center
uniform sign program. The Rheem Shopping Center uniform sign program
Section B.i and B.iv outlines the basic criteria for tenant identification canopy
signs and Halo lighting to be:
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
January 13, 2014
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
Page 5 of 6
•
Individual, raised, gold-leafed letters (8”, Century Schoolbook, medium type)
on the first line of copy.
•
White letters (4” Helvetica type) on the second line of copy, if any.
•
“Halo-type” lighted gold-leaf signs may be “back-lighted”.
•
All halo-type signs shall have a front setback of not less than 50 feet and shall
be subject to design review by the Design Review Board to assure design
compatibility with the use that the sign is identifying as well as neighboring
uses.
The proposed sign does not conform to two of the guidelines in the Rheem
Shopping Center uniform sign program:
(1) The individual letters would exceed the maximum allowed height and;
(2) The individual letters would be alternate fonts that are not Century
Schoolbook or Helvetica.
To be consistent with other similar smaller tenants in the shopping center, staff
recommends a maximum letter size of 12 inches. Reducing the individual letter
size to a maximum of 12 inches would be consistent with other non-major tenants
such as Nation’s, Tangelo’s and Great Clips. Additionally, the maximum of 12
inches in height for one line of text is consistent with the Rheem Design
Guidelines exhibit cited under sub-section “b-iv” shown in Attachment C.
For the font type, staff recommends that the applicant be allowed to use an
alternate font since the Massage Envy ~ Spa franchise uses the specific lettering
as their trademark. As a franchisee, use of the trademark is important to the
business identification. However, staff recommends that because ‘Massage Envy’
and ‘~ Spa’ use different fonts they should either (1) be placed on two separate
lines which would result in the individual letters in the first line being reduced to 8”
in height and on the second line 4” in height, or (2) ‘~ Spa’ be removed from the
sign, or (3) all letters in the sign be on one line and in one font. Staff has
researched ‘Massage Envy’ signs on the internet and found examples where the
word spa is either not included or located on a second line of copy.
Finally, the submitted plan sets shows the existing green fascia board with a blue
hue. While this may just be a printing discrepancy, condition of approval #12
requires maintaining the green fascia board.
B. General Plan Consistency: The 2002 General Plan contains the following
applicable policy:
1. Policy CD3.6 – Development Standards and Design Guidelines: Adopt
development standards and design guidelines for Scenic Corridors to control site
design and setbacks, landscaping, infrastructure locations, grading and signage.
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
January 13, 2014
556 – 560 CENTER STREET
Page 6 of 6
Staff Analysis: Standards set in the Sign Ordinance, Scenic Corridor Ordinance,
and Design Guidelines are applicable to the proposed sign. Signs play a key role
in identifying the locations of local business and creating an image for a business
and the Town. The proposed signage is consistent with the Sign Ordinance and
Scenic Corridor Ordinance, and substantially conforms to the Town’s Design
Guidelines, with the exception of the modification to the standard size and font
type of the Rheem Shopping Center to allow Massage Envy to utilize its
trademark font consistent with other approved signs within the shopping center
for corporate chain type stores.
VII. Recommendation
Due to the project’s consistency with the Zoning Ordinance and General Plan, and
minimal impact on surrounding properties, staff recommends that the Design Review
Board APPROVE the attached action memorandum to APPROVE Design Review Board
Sign Application DRB # 25-13 pursuant to Section Moraga Municipal Code (MMC)
Section 8.88.280 subject to findings and conditions of approval.
Attachments:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Draft Action Memo
Summary of Sign Ordinance and Design Guidelines Analysis
Rheem Shopping Center Uniform Sign Program
Project Plans
Sample Message Envy Signs
Staff Planner: Brian Horn, bhorn@moraga.ca.us, (925) 888-7044
Reviewed by: Shawna Brekke-Read, Planning Director
ATTACHMENT D
RHEEM SHOPPING CENTER
UNIFORM SIGN PROGRAM
ATTACHMENT E
PROJECT PLANS DATED
NOVEMBER 13, 2013
ATTACHMENT F
PROJECT PLAN DATED
FEBRUARY 27, 2014
ATTACHMENT G
MASSAGE ENVY TRADEMARK
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Word Mark
MASSAGE ENVY SPA
Goods and
Services
IC 044. US 100 101. G & S: Massage therapy services; esthetic skin care treatment, namely, facial
massages. FIRST USE: 20080228. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20080228
Mark Drawing
Code
(3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS
Design Search
Code
26.17.02 - Bands, wavy; Bars, wavy; Lines, wavy; Wavy line(s), band(s) or bar(s)
Serial Number
85855691
Filing Date
February 20, 2013
Current Basis
1A
Original Filing
Basis
1A
Published for
Opposition
July 30, 2013
Registration
Number
4417970
Registration Date
October 15, 2013
Owner
(REGISTRANT) Massage Envy Franchising, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DELAWARE Suite 200
14350 North 87th Street Scottsdale ARIZONA 85260
Attorney of Record James A. Ullman
Prior Registrations 2852856;3960464;3964196;AND OTHERS
Disclaimer
NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "MASSAGE" AND "SPA" APART FROM
THE MARK AS SHOWN
Description of
Mark
Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of the words "MASSAGE ENVY" in script
style letters followed by a curved wave line and the word "SPA" in capital letters.
Type of Mark
SERVICE MARK
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