Historic District Commission
October 3, 2006
APPROVED:
__________________________
AGENDA:
ATTENDED: Clay Dingman (Chairman), Larry Douglas (Vice-Chairman), Dorcas Gordon, Sandra Heaney, Robin Fitzgerald (alternate)
ABSENT: Mark Greenwood (alternate; unaccounted), Bruce Van Derven (Selectmen’s representative; unaccounted), David Bernier (unaccounted)
OTHERS: Deborah Mancuso, Applicant
The meeting was opened and called to order at 7:00 p.m. Robin Fitzgerald was asked to sit in for David Bernier.
MINUTES of 12SEPT06: There were no changes to the minutes. Mr. Douglas made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Gordon, to ACCEPT THE MINUTES. The motion CARRIED.
Hire of HDC Secretary: It is Mr. Dingman’s intention to attend the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on October 5 and reiterate what we have discussed regarding our desire to have the new Town Manager hire this position and that it could be a general position as we only require a few hours a month.
Other Business: Mr. Dingman asked Ms. Gordon for clarification in the "right-to-know" law in light of recent e-mails from an applicant’s sign maker. Ms. Gordon said that state law stipulates that public officials cannot hold a public meeting without prior public notice. She also mentioned that the Secretary of State has information on its website regarding this law. Mr. Dingman clarified for the board that this means that all decisions and discourse regarding an application must be in public and cannot be discussed in private. He thinks it would be useful to have guidelines as to what can be discussed outside of the public meetings.
CONTINUATION CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL 34 CENTRAL SQUARE, DEBORAH MANCUSO:
Ms. Mancuso asked Mr. Dingman if he had received her sign maker’s e-mail. He responded that he had and read this communication for the public:
"To Bristol Historic Society,
Attached you will find two sign designs for Debby Kniskern’s new restaurant, Taste of Italy. These are three dimensional sandblasted and hand carved signs of the finest quality. I am sure that they will be add to the beautification of Bristol.
Thank you,
Dennis Manchester - Newfound Signs & Graphics LLC"
The board reviewed the new designs provided by Dennis Manchester. The designs were a pictorial facsimile of two signs without dimensions, location, materials or construction information. Mr. Douglas asked the applicant what the size of the sign would be as dimensions were not included on the drawings. Ms. Mancuso stated it would be a little bit shorter than the original plan. Ms. Mancuso stated that she had visited with Newfound Signs and Graphics LLC and looked at photographs and designs of Old Italian signs. Mr. Dingman mentioned that we would need dimensions and location on the building to able to approve this sign. Ms. Mancuso could not remember exactly what the size would be. Mr. Dingman asked the applicant if she would like to treat this hearing as a PCC (preliminary conceptual consultation) as she did not have all the required information. Ms. Gordon asked if we could restrict the size in the Certificate of Approval and judge the design. Mr. Dingman stated that this would require that the Commission would, essentially, need to design the specifications for the applicant and that instead applicants should come to meetings prepared.
Ms. Mancuso asked what the problem was with the design submitted by Mr.
Manchester. Mr. Dingman stated that the drawing provided did not provide
sufficient information to allow for follow-up compliance. Mr. Dingman stated
that signage is of utmost importance to the Historic District to provide a
consistent look and feel for the square. He also mentioned that a temporary sign
is a possibility so that we can take the time to get this right. Ms. Mancuso
stated that Mr. Dingman is too particular and that she had looked through a book
to pick her design. Mr. Dingman again offered the temporary sign as a short-term
solution so that she can provide a complete application. Ms. Mancuso became
upset and left the room to call her sign maker. During this time the board
discussed what information we would require to provide an approval. Ms Mancuso
returned to the room, unable to contact her sign maker and was offered the
following options:
1. The Commission and applicant could go through and decide on each design element of the sign and have those detailed in the Certificate of Approval. Mr. Dingman made it very clear that the applicant would need to agree to all the terms and would be bound by them;
2. The Commission could continue the hearing to our next scheduled meeting to allow the applicant time to provide the information missing from the application;
3. The Commission could authorize the applicant to install a temporary
sign as detailed in the Town of Bristol’s current Zoning Regulations.
Ms. Mancuso selected Option 1 and the Commission went through each required specification to arrive at the following:
Condition(s) of approval:
1. A sign will be added to the front of the building in the location of the current sign, not to exceed 16 feet in width by two feet in height;
2. The typeface (font) used in the sign artwork will be chosen from those on the list of Bristol Historic District Commission approved typefaces/fonts, available on the HDC website accessible from Error! Bookmark not defined.;
3. Sign material will be polyurethane foam;
4. Sign letters and graphics will be either carved into a smooth background or carved in relief standing out against a smooth background (without sandblasting or carving marks);
5. Carving should be in a line art style, similar to that of the artwork in the Sample Signage PDF file on the HDC website, in particular the "Training for Success" sample on page 14 of the file;
6. Background color to be solid (not graduated or of increasing/decreasing density);
7. Corner notches are to be as shown in applicant-supplied drawing;
8. Wording and overall design of the sign to be as depicted in applicant-supplied drawing; and
9. The amended design containing the above changes is subject to final approval in conjunction with Mr. McCormick, Code Enforcement Officer and Mr. Dingman, Historic District Commission Chair.
Ms. Heaney made a MOTION, seconded by Mr. Douglas to APPROVE the CERTIFCATE OF APPROVAL for 34 CENTRAL SQUARE with the aforementioned conditions. The motion CARRIED.
New business: Mr. Dingman mentioned that our current Zoning Regulations already contain a temporary sign ordinance. Ms. Heaney suggested that the 14 days allowed were not long enough for an owner to complete their permanent sign approval process and get the sign made. She suggested that 60 days might be more appropriate. Mr. Dingman suggested that it could be even longer. Mr. Dingman asked the Commission whether they felt the need to have a hearing for a temporary sign. Ms. Gordon mentioned that this would cause them to have to apply. Ms. Heaney suggested that the Code Enforcement Officer could tell them what is required and provide a permit. Mr. Douglas suggested that we could provide one page of basic guidelines. Ms. Heaney said we could just give them the existing signage guidelines. Ms. Gordon stated she felt we need to have some control. At this time Mr. Dingman offered to take a first pass at writing a temporary sign ordinance. The Commission discussed the need to get more information in the hands of business owners in the Historic District and thought it would be good to have a comprehensive package that the Code Enforcement Officer could distribute. Commission members should email Mr. Dingman with ideas of what should be included.
Ms. Fitzgerald asked if the Bristol Downtown Revitalization Committee would require approval for the Christmas decorations. Mr. Dingman stated that this would not be necessary.
NEXT MEETING: will be held on November 14, 2006
With no further business, Ms. Heaney made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Fitzgerald, to adjourn at 9:08 p.m. The motion CARRIED.
Respectfully submitted,
Clay Dingman, Chair