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Item 6B - Downtown Design Guidelines - Signage and LightingLandmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page1 of 2 Landmarks Board Downtown Design Guidelines Signage Lighting Subcommittee
 Draft Proposal for Changes 11/28/17 Under Section 1: The Historic District add 1.5 as follows. 1.5 Guidelines for signage on contributing and noncontributing buildings A. General signage guidelines 1. In addition to the guidelines in this section Section 3: Public Realm shall apply. 2. When adding signs to contributing buildings avoid damage to or removal of historic features. B. Signage Illumination The historic nature of the district requires careful consideration of the impacts of modern signage illumination in order to avoid negative character changing results. While some variety is encouraged (NPS) there should be a predominance of non illuminated or externally illuminated over internally illuminated signage. 1. In many locations there is a significant amount of ambient illumination from street lamps, storefronts, and other sources, enough to provide sufficient night time visibility for signage without additional illumination. . (New Orleans) It is particularly important to minimize signage illumination on the Mall where there is significant ambient light. 2. The most appropriate illumination is indirect. (New Orleans, Washington DC, Denver, Ft Collins) a. Use visually unobtrusive external lighting fixtures for indirect illumination unless the intention is to restore historic lighting. (New Orleans, Denver) 3. Illumination should be subdued and warm in color. (Denver, Fort Collins) 4. Signage illumination should only be illuminated after sunset and switched off after sunrise. 5. Internal illumination is inappropriate and strongly discouraged. (Washington DC, Denver forbids internal, New Orleans forbids internal) Internally illuminated signs include box, cabinet, channel letter, halo, raceway, reverse channel signs, and others. Internal illumination may be appropriate when all of the applicable conditions below can be demonstrated. a. When ambient illumination is not sufficient and indirect illumination is not possible Landmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page2 of 2 b. Signage on noncontributing buildings c. Neon is appropriate when it is compatible stylistically with the building or where there is evidence that neon was used in the period of significance. (New Orleans) Neon was popular from the late 1920s to the 1960s. d. Box signs may be appropriate when box depth can be concealed, i.e., the box is recessed with face flush or nearly flush with adjacent surface. If the sign is a projecting type (perpendicular to building facade) minimize the depth of the box. e. For wayfinding purposes, such as parking garage entrance identification, but not for occupant or building identification if the building is large, occupying a large portion of a city block, where there are several entrances for several functions. Wayfinding signs should be significantly smaller than occupant identification signage. 6. Conceal electrical conduit, races and junction boxes. (Denver) Landmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page3 of 2 Additional discussion regarding downtown signage: Currently signage is reviewed by staff unless an applicant makes a proposal that is discouraged by the design guidelines. The question raised by the subcommittee for discussion is, should all signage be reviewed by LDRC? Reason for making the change: Review of all applications by the LDRC allows the board to understand how the proposed language is affecting applicants as well as the effectiveness of these changes, until such time as the board deems it appropriate to return reviews to staff. Reason against making the change: If an application proposes to do something that is encouraged by the design guidelines it is more efficient to have a staff level approval. It was agreed (during Nov LB meeting) that over the first 6 months after implementation staff will bring a few applications to LDRC in order for the board can understand the effects of the changes. Landmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page1 of 2 Landmarks Board Downtown Design Guidelines Signage Lighting Subcommittee
 Draft Proposal for Changes 11/3/1711/28/17 Under Section 3: Public Realm Section 1: The Historic District add 3.1.E1.5 as follows. E.1.5 Additional guidelines for Downtown Historic District signageGuidelines for signage on contributing and noncontributing buildings A. General signage guidelines 1. In addition to the guidelines in this section Section 3: Public Realm shall apply. 2. When adding signs to contributing buildingsHowever, recessing the box must not remove or damage historic features. avoid damage to or removal of historic features. 1.B. Signage LightingIllumination —The historic nature of the district requires careful consideration of the impacts of modern signage lightingillumination in order to avoid negative character changing results. While some variety is encouraged (NPS) there should be a predominance of non unlitilluminated or externally litilluminated over internally litilluminated signage. 1a. In many locations there is a significant amount of ambient lightingillumination from street lamps and, storefronts, and other sources, enough to provide sufficient illumination night time visibility for signage without additional lightingillumination. . (New Orleans) It is particularly important to minimize signage lightingillumination on the Mall where there is significant ambient light. 2. The most appropriate illumination is indirect. (New Orleans, Washington DC, Denver, Ft Collins) a. Use visually unobtrusive external lighting fixtures for indirect illumination unless the intention is to restore historic lighting. (New Orleans, Denver) 3b. Signage Ilightingllumination should be subdued and warm in color. (Denver, Fort Collins) 4c. Signage lightingillumination should only be illuminated after sunset and switched off after sunrise. d. The light color of external or back lit signs should be warm white with temperature rating of 3500K or less. (Denver, Fort Collins) Landmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page2 of 2 e. The most appropriate lighting is indirect. (New Orleans, Washington DC, Denver, Ft Collins) i. Use visually unobtrusive external lighting fixtures for indirect lighting unless the intention is to restore historic lighting. (New Orleans, Denver) ii. Back or halo lighting is not as appropriate as external lighting but it is an acceptable alternative. (New Orleans, Denver, Washington DC) 5f. Direct Ilighting or internal lightingillumination is inappropriate and strongly discouraged. (Washington DC, Denver forbids internal, New Orleans forbids internal) This includes internally lit signs and signs with light that shines through translucent or clear material of letters, shapes, or background outward towards pedestrian areas. Internally illuminated signs include box, cabinet, channel letter, halo, raceway, reverse channel signs, and others. Internal lightingillumination may be appropriate under the following conditions listed by order of importancewhen all of the applicable conditions below can be demonstrated. a. When ambient illumination is not sufficient and indirect illumination is not possible ib. Signage on noncontributing buildings c. Neon is appropriate when it is compatible stylistically with the building or where there is evidence that neon was used in the period of significance. (New Orleans) Neon was popular from the late 1920s 1930s to the 1960s. ii. Internally lit signage may be appropriate when indirect lighting cannot be added as per section E.1.e. above or when ambient lighting from street lamps, adjacent storefronts and other sources is not sufficient for visibility. iiid. Box signs may be appropriate when box depth can be concealed, i.e., the box is recessed with face flush or nearly flush with adjacent surface. Visibility of the box depth enclosing internal lighting equipment shall be hidden. In other words, recess the box into a wall, storefront or other architectural feature so the face of the sign is flush with the finished plane of the architectural feature. However, recessing the box must not remove or damage historic features. If the sign is a projecting type (perpendicular to building facade) minimize the depth of the box. iiii. Signs employing cut out faces from which internal light passes through should have slender or small cut outs to avoid excessive brightness. iiiiie. Internally lit signage may be appropriate Ffor wayfinding purposes, such as parking garage entrance identification, butand not for occupant or building identification if the building is large, such as a building that Commented [DY1]: Combine reference to direct lighting and internal lighting into one, internal lighting. Commented [DY2]: To convey that internal lighting appropriate in very limited circumstances. Commented [DY3]: Added, suggestion by James Formatted: Font color: Auto Formatted: Font color: Auto Commented [DY4]: redundant Commented [DY5]: Redundant with remarks about subdued illumination. Landmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page3 of 2 occupyinges a large portion of a citythe block, where there are several entrances for several functions. Wayfinding signs should be significantly smaller than occupant identification signage. g6. Conceal electrical conduit, races and junction boxes. Do not install exposed conduit, races or junction boxes on the primary elevation of a building. (Denver) Landmarks Board Downtown Signage Lighting Subcommittee 9/26/17 DRAFT page4 of 2 Additional discussion regarding downtown signage: Currently signage is reviewed by staff unless an applicant makes a proposal that is discouraged by the design guidelines. The question raised by the subcommittee for discussion is, should all signage be reviewed by LDRC? Reason for making the change: Review of all applications by the LDRC allows the board to understand how the proposed language is affecting applicants as well as the effectiveness of these changes, until such time as the board deems it appropriate to return reviews to staff. Reason against making the change: If an application proposes to do something that is encouraged by the design guidelines it is more efficient to have a staff level approval. It was agreed (during Nov LB meeting) that over the first 6 months after implementation staff will bring a few applications to LDRC in order for the board can understand the effects of the changes.