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Home My WebLink AboutBZA 3207 - Cayuga Park - Decision CITY OF ITHACA BOARD of ZONING APPEALS Sign Variance Findings & Decision Appeal No.: 3207 Applicant: Whitham Planning & Design on behalf of property owner Cayuga Medical Center Property Location: Cayuga Park (Carpenter Circle) Zoning District: Carpenter Circle PUD Applicable Section of City Sign Ordinance: §272-6B(2). Requirement for Which Variance is Requested: Number and Size of Permitted Signs in a Commercial Zone. Publication Dates: February 2, 2022 and February 5, 2022. Meeting Held On: February 8, 2022. Summary: Appeal of Whitham Planning & Design on behalf of owner Cayuga Medical Center for a sign variance from §272-6 B(2), Number and Size of Permitted Signs in a Commercial Zone. The applicant is constructing a new five-story medical office building as part of the Cayuga Park project, located off Carpenter Circle. The applicant is proposing to install five wall signs on the new building: three “Cayuga Health” signs, one “Main Entrance” sign, and one “CMC Immediate Care” sign. The City’s Sign Ordinance limits building signs to two signs per business. In addition, the Sign Ordinance limits each individual sign to a maximum of 50 square feet. Three of the five proposed signs exceed the maximum size allowed by the ordinance: (1) Cayuga Health – 107.7 SF; (2) Cayuga Health – 107.7 SF; and (5) Cayuga Health – 81.5 SF. The property is located in the Carpenter Circle Planned Unit Development in which the proposed use is permitted. However, the Sign Ordinance, §272-18, requires that variances be granted before a sign permit is issued. Public Hearing Held On: February 8, 2022 Members present: Michael Cannon Steven Henderson Joseph Kirby David Barken, Chair There were no comments in support of or in opposition to the appeal. Tompkins County Review per Section 239 -l & -m of New York State General Municipal Law: CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green Street — 3rd Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING, ZONING, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Division of Zoning Gino Leonardi, Secretary to the Board of Zoning Appeals Telephone: 607-274-6550 Fax: 607-274-6558 E-Mail: gleonardi@cityofithaca.org The Tompkins County Department of Planning & Sustainability has reviewed the proposal as required by New York State General Municipal Law §239-l, -m, and -n and has no comments or recommendations. Environmental Review: This variance is a component of an action that also includes site plan review. Considered together, this is a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance and the State Environmental Quality Review Act for which the Planning and Development Board, acting as Lead Agency, made a Negative Determination of Environmental Significance on May 26, 2020. Planning & Development Board Recommendation: The Planning and Development Board requested the applicant, and the applicant agreed, to have the large signs (Signs 1 & 2) dimmed at 10 pm, closing time, and turned completely off at midnight. The lower access signs (Signs 3, 4, & 5) will be turned off at midnight as it is understood the need for emergency services does not strictly follow closing times. The Lead Agency feels the size and quantity of the signs has been mitigated for the neighboring residential areas at this time and mitigated to the best ability for potential long-term negative impacts to new development and planning around this site. Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission Recommendation: Not applicable. Motion: A motion to grant variance #3207 for Cayuga Park was made by D. Barken. Deliberations & Findings: The Board noted that the lighting was their primary concern but believes that the timing of the illumination will mitigate potential impacts. The Board finds all five signs to be necessary for wayfinding and agrees that the proposed sizes are appropriate to the size of the building. Factors Considered: 1. Environmental Impact The Planning and Development Board, acting as lead agency, has conducted appropriate environmental review and has determined the requested variance will have no negative impacts on the environment. The applicant has agreed to the use of timed internal illumination of the proposed signs, which will help mitigate impacts of the proposed signs. 2. Size of sign: The purpose for which the sign is erected and the distance from which the sign is intended to be read and the character of the adjacent streets shall be taken into consideration. In all cases, the smallest sign that will suit the purpose shall be the guide, taking into account legitimate business interests to be promoted by the sign and the speed limits and traffic conditions on adjacent streets. • The applicant is proposing 5 building signs; the Sign Ordinance permits 2 building signs per business in commercial zones. • The Sign Ordinance limits the size of individual signs to 50 square feet. Three of the five proposed signs will exceed the induvial sign size limit. Signs 1 and 2 will each be 107.7 SF, which exceeds the maximum sign size by 115%. Sign 5 will be 81.5 SF, which exceeds the maximum size by 63%. • Given the nature of the business and size of the building, the Board finds the proposed sizes to be appropriate and necessary for wayfinding to the medical facility. 3. Number of letters: A sign with few letters need not be as large as one with many letters to be seen at the same distance. The number of letters are appropriate for the size of the sign. • The proposed signs feature the name of the business, logo, and wayfinding to different entries to the building. This cannot be reduced. 4. Other signs: The context of existing signs in the vicinity of the proposed sign shall be taken into considerations. • The building is located in the Carpenter Circle PUD, a planned unit development that will include the medical office building, housing, and community gardens. • There are some existing business signs in the immediate area, primarily to the south of the project site and across Route 13. The proposed signs exceed the size and number of other business signage in the area. The massing and scale of these buildings are significantly smaller. However, the new building is the first of several new development projects in the area, and the overall context will change to a more mixed-use urban environment in the coming years. 5. The character of the neighborhood: The proposed use shall not be detrimental to the general amenity of the neighborhood character so as to cause a devaluation of neighboring property or material inconvenience to neighboring inhabitants or material interference with the use and enjoyment by the inhabitants of neighboring parties. The proposed sign will not be detrimental to the neighborhood character. • The project site is surrounded by the Market District, which was recently established to help implement the City of Ithaca Waterfront Plan. The area is expected to see significant redevelopment and change in the coming years, and this project will be the first of several that will transform the area into a more vibrant, mixed-use area. • The project site is located across Route 13 from a predominantly residential neighborhood. All five signs are proposed to be internally illuminated and will be on timers to dim and turn off at 10 pm and midnight. 6. Public Interest: The protection of public interest and the desirability of maintaining open spaces, views and vistas shall be considered insofar as possible. The proposed signage will not affect open spaces, views, and vistas. • Signs 1 and 2 are to be installed at the top of the new 5-story building and will be internally lit. Given their proposed location and size, these signs will be visible from a considerable distance. This is a medical facility and the signage is critical to wayfinding to the facility. The signs will not obstruct views, vistas, or open spaces. Second Motion to Grant Variance: Made by M. Cannon Vote: 4-0-0 Michael Cannon YES Steven Henderson YES Joseph Kirby YES David Barken, Chair YES Determination of BZA Based on the Above Factors: The BZA, taking into consideration the five factors for a sign variance, finds that the benefit to the applicant outweighs the determinant to the neighborhood or community. The BZA further finds that variances from the Sign Ordinance, Section 272-6B(2) is the minimum variance that should be granted in order to preserve and protect the character of the neighborhood and the health, safety, and welfare of the community. _______________________________________ February 8, 2022 Megan Wilson, Zoning Administrator Date Secretary, Board of Zoning Appeals