1997-04-24 - Appearance Commission - Minutes c �
- -
n d
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
VILLAGE OF BUFFALO GROVE, ILLIOIS
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1997
I . CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Richard Gordon called the Appearance Commission
meeting to order at 7 :45 P.M. on Thursday, April 24, 1997
in Room #9 of the Alcott Community Center, 530 Bernard Dr.
II . ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present : F. Weissman, A. Viehman,
M. Cea and R. Gordon
Commissioners Absent : E. Smith, L. Dorfman and C. Masure
Bldg. Dept . Liaison: Richard Jensen, Building Inspector
III . APPROVAL OF MINUTES
April 10, 1997 - Motion to approve was made by Com. Cea and
seconded by Com. Viehman.
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Viehman, Weissman, Cea and Gordon
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0 .
Minutes of April 10, 1997 were approved as submitted.
IV. BUSINESS
A. Creekside Jewelers - Wall Sign
1143 Weiland Road at Creekside Commons
Mr. Brian Walther from Light Waves, Inc. , 1737 E. Wilson
Street, Batavia, Il 60510 (630-761-8515) requested
approval of a diamond on the wall sign for Creekside
Jewelers at the Creekside Commons shopping center.
Mr. Walther said the diamond is the business trademark.
Creekside will be orange letters with a white outline
in a small bronze box. The individual JEWELERS orange
letters will be mounted on a bronze raceway with white
trim caps and bronze returns . The diamond will be blue
on white mounted the same as the channel letters . The
letters are backlit.
4.0iwVir
Com. Viehman said the Creekside Commons Sign Criteria
does not include bronze and blue colors. Specified
colors are red, orange, yellow and white.
Mr. Walther said there is blue in the Re/Max Realtors sign
and blue will be part of the corporate logo. The landlord
of the shopping center has approved the sign.
There were no actual objections to the sign, just caution
that it meets with Building Department approval .
Com. Cea made a motion to recommend approval of the
Creekside Jewelers sign at 1143 Weiland Road as submitted.
Com. Viehman seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote : AYE - Weissman, Viehman, Cea, Gordon
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0 .
B. Indeck Energy Systems - Landscaping Lighting
600 N. Buffalo Grove Road at Route 83
Mr. Mitchell Beiser, Moonscape Landscape Illumination,
3710 Fairview, Downers Grove, IL 60515 (630-852-2400)
presented a color rendering of the proposed lighting
that would be added to the approved landscaping of the
Indeck Energy Systems building.
The intent is to bring light to the building and the
landscaping, expecially the trees that are reflected
in the circular glass feature at the north elevation
of the building. The two (2) architectural features
that will be emphasized are the pink wall and the point-
ed end of the building. These lights are close to the
building. They are brighter at the bottom and shine
straight up, so they acutally make the building look lower.
The bullet-shaped fixtures are shielded so the light
source is never seen from the roadways. The lighting
will be compatible with the surrounding residential
areas . The intent is to add substance to the building
at night and is not meant for safety or security.
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
APRIL 24, 1997 - PAGE TWO
a
The landscape plan showing the location of the fixtures
was submitted with cut sheets and specifications of each
fixture . Some of the lighting is High Pressure Sodium and
some is Mercury Vapor. The lighting will blend with the
parking lot lights.
Com. Viehman commented that the construction lights in
the second and third floors are very bright now and there
are no parking lot lights out there yet . He is hopeful
that this lighting will help to downplay the building.
After discussing the lights, there were no objections .
Com. Cea made a motion to recommend approval of the
Landscape Lighting as presented for the Indeck Energy
Services building at 600 N. Buffalo Grove Road.
Com. Weissman seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Weissman, Viehman, Cea, Gordon
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0 .
C. Town & Country Homes - Prairie Road
Subdivision Development Sign
No representatives were present . Item was Tabled.
D. Riverwalk II - Landscape Plan
Milwaukee Avenue, North of Lake Cook Road
Tabled at petitioner' s request .
E. J.H. I . Weiland L.L. C. - Revised Elevations
901 Weiland Road - Commercial Building
Com. Cea is a principal with the architectural firm,
Groundworks, and was prepared to make the presentation,
but then there would not be a quorum of Commissioners,
so they could not review the revisions .
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
APRIL 24, 1997 - PAGE THREE
F. Buffalo Grove High School - 1100 W. Dundee Road
Wall Sign & Electronic Changeable Sign
Recommendation for Variance
Miss Audrey Graff, Sophomore at Buffalo Grove High School,
418 Whitehall, Arlington Heights, IL 60004 and
Mrs . Chris Guth, 2816 N. Vista, Arlington Heights, IL
60004 (259-9395) member of Inovations and Change Committee
at Buffalo Grove High School. A variance was
requested to permit an electronic changeable sign that would
be used for public service announcements including up-coming
events .
Drawings to two (2) designs were present and Mrs. Guth said
the committee has not made a final selection. The word HIGH
would be eliminated from the sign with the buffalo in the
center (right side of drawing) . The sign will only have a
buffalo head, not the full buffalo drawing.
The sign would be mounted on the diagonal wall facing south-
west over the library windows even with the top of the roof.
They want the sign installed in time for the 25th anniver-
sary of the school .
The sign is state of the art, with LED lighting so it will
not require a maintenance contract . The lighting will use
orange for the letters and will use electricity, so the
circuits do not burn out .
The width of the sign is 8 ' 3" and the height is 6 ' 7" with
large ten inch (10") letters. Smaller letters will be three
to four inches (3" to 4" ) . The top will be illuminated.
The changeable letters would also be ten inches (10" ) .
The Commissioners discussed the sign and agreed that the
design on the right was preferable for visibility at that
corner.
Ch. Gordon asked why they chose this particular sign rather
than a manual changeable copy sign?
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
APRIL 24, 1997 - PAGE FOUR
Ms . Guth said the someone has to put up the letters on the
other signs and the sign will not be damaged by vandalism.
Weather is also a factor, no one has to go out to change
the sign.
Com. Weissman wondered if the sign could be read from a
car at ground level without stopping traffic. The reader
board would be up very high and it needs to be lowered some
to permit a border.
Ms . Guth said they have talked about a larger sign, but
their funds are limited.
The Plaza Verde sign is closer to the street and the letters
are larger. A single line of copy was discussed and it
would take too long for people to read the sign.
Mr. Jensen suggested asking the sign company to bring out
some letters and put them up on the building so the
committee can if it is practical to proceed.
Com. Viehman observed that the only way the sign could be
read would be straight on because of the angle. They would
want the sign to be as large as the building would accommo-
date. He suggested having the sign drawn up on a colored
architectural rendering of the building with a list of all
the materials.
The Commissioners preferred the drawing on the right .
Mrs . Guth agreed that visiblity is limited from Arlington
Heights Road going south and Dundee Road going east . They
have discussed the size and the cost and the committee is
going to meet next Monday, so she agreed to resubmit the
sign for the May 8th meeting.
Motion to Table until May 8, 1997 was made by Com. Weissman
and seconded by Com. Viehman.
Voice Vote - AYE Unanimously.
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
APRIL 24, 1997 - PAGE FIVE
ftpd
V. ANNOUNCEMENTS
1 . The backgrund of the sign for the health club at the
Woodlands was painted, but it still not match the
other signs .
Mr. Jensen said there are other signs with the same
background and they are supposed to fade.
2 . Com. Cea has observed some portable signs on Dundee
Road at Papa John' s Pizza, but they are put up over
weekend.
3 . Com. Weissman asked if there is a time limit on the
repair of damaged signs?
Mr. Jensen said that written notice is given when
signs are in need of repair and the owner is given
thirty (30) days to comply before they get a citation.
VI . ADJOURNMENT
Com. Viehman made a motion to adjourn.
Com. Weissman seconded the motion.
Voice Vote - AYE Unanimously
Ch. Gordon adjourned the meeting at 9 :30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted
Shirley Bates
Recording Secretary
sb
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
APRIL 24 , 1997 - PAGE SIX