HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC110020 PEC memo0 ) TOWN OF VAIL
TO: Planning and Environmental Commission
FROM: Community Development Department
DATE: May 9, 2011
Memorandum
SUBJECT: A request for the review of variances from Title 11, Sign Regulations, Vail Town
Code, pursuant to Chapter 11 -10, Variances, Vail Town Code, to allow for the
installation of new signs at the medical center, located at 181 West Meadow
Drive/ Lots E & F, Vail Village Filing 2, and setting forth details in regard thereto.
(PEC110020)
Applicant: Vail Valley Medical Center, represented by James Brown of Take
Form Architectural Graphics
Planner: Bill Gibson
I. SUMMARY
The applicant, Vail Valley Medical Center, is requesting a variance to allow for two
traffic control signs larger than 4 square feet in area. Based upon Staff's review of the
criteria outlined in Section VII of this memorandum and the evidence and testimony
presented, the Community Development Department recommends approval, with a
condition, of this application subject to the findings noted in Section VIII of this
memorandum.
II. DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST
The applicant, Vail Valley Medical Center, represented by James Brown of Take Form
Architectural Graphics, is proposing to install new exterior signage for the Vail Valley
Medical Center. The applicant is proposing several new signs including a street sign
with the universal blue and white "H" symbol along West Meadow Drive, a building
identification monument sign at the driveway entrance, two on -site traffic control signs,
multiple no parking and loading /unloading zone signs, multiple emergency visitor
parking signs, an ambulance building identification sign, and an emergency room
entrance sign.
The two proposed traffic control signs are the subject of this variance request. Pursuant
to Section 11 -7 -7, Traffic Control Signs for Private Property, Vail Town Code, the size of
each traffic control sign is limited to 4 square feet in area. The applicant is requesting a
variance to allow both proposed traffic control signs to exceed the 4 square foot in area.
The applicant is proposing to replace the existing traffic control sign at the main
entrance of the medical center building. The Vail Valley Medical Center has moved its
emergency entrance from the north side of the building adjacent to the ambulance bays
to the medical center building's main west entrance during regular business hours. The
proposed traffic control sign addresses this change to the location of the emergency
entrance. The proposed main entrance traffic control sign will be located in the same
existing elevated landscaping planter at the base of the entry porte cochere as an
existing traffic control sign. The applicant is requesting that the new main entrance
traffic control sign (identified as sign "Type B" on the attached plans) be 6 square feet in
area. The applicant believes 6 square feet is the minimum sign size necessary to safely
and effectively direct vehicular and pedestrian traffic at this location.
In addition to the proposed main entrance traffic control sign, the applicant is also
proposing to install a new traffic control sign to direct patients to the after hours
emergency entrance and emergency visitor's parking spaces located on the north side
of the building adjacent to the ambulance bays. This new traffic control sign is
proposed to be installed in the existing at -grade landscaping area at the northwest
corner of the medical center building behind the main entry porte cochere. The applicant
is requesting that this new after hours entrance traffic control sign (identified as sign
"Type F" on the attached plans) be allowed to be 8.75 square feet in area. The
applicant believes 8.75 square feet is the minimum sign size necessary to safely and
effectively direct vehicular and pedestrian traffic at this location.
Pursuant to Section 11 -10 -1, Variances, Vail Town Code, a request for a variance from
the prescribed standards of the Town's adopted sign regulations (e.g. traffic control
signs larger than 4 square feet in area) shall be reviewed by the Planning and
Environmental Commission.
The colors, materials, location, lighting, landscaping, design, and general aesthetics of
the proposed traffic control signs are being reviewed by the Town of Vail Design Review
Board with the associated design review application.
A vicinity map (Attachment A) and the applicant's request (Attachment B) have been
attached for review.
III. BACKGROUND
The design review application associated with this variance request was conceptually
reviewed by the Town of Vail Design Review Board at its May 4, 2011 public hearing
and has tentatively been scheduled for a final review at the Board's May 18 public
hearing.
IV. APPLICABLE PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff believes that the following provisions of the Vail Town Code are relevant to the
review of this proposal:
Town of Vail Page 2
TITLE 11: SIGN REGULATIONS (in part)
11 -1: DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND APPLICABILITY (in part)
11 -1 -2: Purpose:
A. General Purpose: These regulations are enacted for the purpose of promoting
the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the Town of Vail and to
promote the coordinated and harmonious design and placement of signs in the
town in a manner that will conserve and enhance its natural environment and its
established character as a resort and residential community of the highest
quality.
B. Specific Purpose: These regulations are intended to achieve the following
specific purposes:
1. To describe and enable the fair and consistent enforcement of signs in the
town of Vail.
2. To encourage the establishment of well designed, creative signs that enhance
the unique character of Vail's village atmosphere.
3. To preserve a successful and high quality business environment that is aided
by signs that identify, direct, and inform.
4. To aid in providing for the growth of an orderly, safe, beautiful, and viable
community.
11 -2 -1: DEFINITIONS (in part)
TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGN (For Private Property): A sign permitted by the town
of Vail to identify private parking areas and to direct the flow of traffic on private
property.
11 -7 -7: TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNS FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY
A. Description: A traffic control sign shall be placed in order to relieve vehicular
and pedestrian traffic congestion and promote the safe and expedient flow and
parking of traffic on private property.
1. Size: All vehicular traffic control signs shall not exceed one square foot except
for multipurpose signs which shall not exceed four (4) square feet and except for
private parking signs which shall not exceed two (2) square feet. All pedestrian
traffic control signs shall not exceed one square foot, except multipurpose signs,
which shall not exceed four (4) square feet, subject to design review.
Town of Vail Page 3
2. Height: No part of the sign shall extend above six feet (6) from existing grade.
3. Number: Subject to design review.
4. Location: Location shall be subject to design review, with approval from the
town engineer for any sign placed adjacent to a public street or way.
5. Design: Subject to design review.
6. Lighting: Subject to design review.
7. Landscaping: Subject to design review.
8. Special Provisions:
a. May be either freestanding or wall mounted, with same size requirements.
b. No sign shall contain any advertising, but may identify the owner by name.
11 -10: VARIANCES AND APPEALS (in part)
11 -10 -1: Variances
A. Purpose: A variance from the sign regulations constitutes relief from the strict
interpretation of the standards and may be granted by the Planning and
Environmental Commission (PEC) in cases where there exists a physical
limitation that prevents the existence, placement, or operation of a sign in
compliance with the standards of this title.
V.
SITE ANALYSIS
Address: 181 East Meadow Drive
Legal Description: Lots E & F, Vail Village Filing 2
Sign District: Sign District 1
Zone District: General Use District
Current Land Use: Medical Center Campus
Standard Allowed /Required Proposed Sign
Size (max): 4 sq.ft. 6 sq.ft. and 8.75 sq.ft.
Height (max): 6 feet 3 feet and 5 feet
Number (max): subject to design review 2
Style of Sign: Freestanding or Wall Mounted Freestanding and Freestanding
VI. SURROUNDING LAND USES AND ZONING
Existing Use Zoning District
North: Hotel Public Accommodation
West: Middle Creek Stream Tract Natural Area Preservation District
East: Residential High Density Multiple Family District
South: Residential Two - Family District
Town of Vail
Page 4
VII. REVIEW CRITERIA
The review criteria for a request of this nature are established by Section 11 -10 -1,
Variances, Vail Town Code.
1. Special circumstances or conditions must exist that apply to the land,
buildings, topography, vegetation, sign structures, or other matters on adjacent
lots or within the adjacent right of way, that would substantially restrict the
effectiveness of the sign in question. However, such circumstances must be
unique to the subject site.
The Vail Valley Medical Center is a unique land use within the Town of Vail. There is
generally a higher volume of year -round daily traffic to and from the medical center than
other businesses in Vail. This traffic includes ambulances and patient vehicles involved
in emergency situations. Since the main entrance and the emergency entrances to the
medical center building are not located along, or visible from, the public street; Staff
believes traffic control signs are critical for traffic to safely and efficiently navigate the
medical center site.
In addition to the number of medical center elements needing direction and their
importance, Staff believes the locations and configurations of the existing medical
center building, the medical center emergency entrances, the existing parking lot, and
the existing landscaping planter areas; collectively create the circumstances necessary
to allow two traffic controls signs larger than 4 square feet in area to effectively direct
traffic through this site. Therefore, Staff believes the applicant is requesting a sign area
variance that is consistent with this review criterion.
2. The applicant shall not have created the circumstances that have necessitated
the variance request.
Staff does not believe the relocation of the emergency entrance during business hours
from the north side of the medical center to the west main building entrance necessarily
creates the circumstances necessary for this variance request. Instead, Staff believes
the number of medical center elements needing direction, the importance of the medical
center elements needing direction, plus the locations and configurations of the existing
medical center building, the medical center emergency entrances, the existing parking
lot, and the existing landscaping planter areas, all create the circumstances necessary
to allow two traffic controls signs larger than 4 square feet in area. Therefore, Staff
believes the applicant is requesting a sign area variance that is consistent with this
review criterion.
3. The applicant must demonstrate that the granting of the variance will be in
general harmony with the purposes of this title.
Staff believes the applicant is proposing traffic control signs of an appropriate size to
safely and efficiently direct traffic through the medical center site. Staff believes this
Town of Vail Page 5
variance request is consistent with the general purposes of the Town's sign regulations
and the specific description of the traffic control signs identified below. Therefore, Staff
believes this variance request meets this criterion.
Pursuant to Section 11- 1 -2 -13: Specific Purpose, Vail Town Code, purposes of the
Town's sign regulations are:
"I. To describe and enable the fair and consistent enforcement of signs in the
Town of Vail.
2. To encourage the establishment of well designed, creative signs that enhance
the unique character of Vail's village atmosphere.
3. To preserve a successful and high quality business environment that is aided
by signs that identify, direct, and inform.
4. To aid in providing for the growth of an orderly, safe, beautiful, and viable
community. "
Pursuant to Section 11- 7 -7 -A, Description, Vail Town Code, Traffic Control Signs are
described as follows:
"A traffic control sign shall be placed in order to relieve vehicular and pedestrian
traffic congestion and promote the safe and expedient flow and parking of traffic
on private property."
VIII. RECOMMENDATION
The Community Development Department recommends approval, with conditions, of
the applicant's review of a variances from Title 11, Sign Regulations, Vail Town Code,
pursuant to Chapter 11 -10, Variances, Vail Town Code, to allow for the installation of
new signs at the medical center, located at 181 West Meadow Drive/ Lots E & F, Vail
Village Filing 2, and setting forth details in regard thereto. This recommendation is
based upon the review of the criteria outlined in Section VII of this memorandum and
the evidence and testimony presented.
Should the Planning and Environmental Commission choose to approve this variance
request with a condition, the Community Development Department recommends the
Commission pass the following motion:
"The Planning and Environmental Commission approves, with conditions, the
request for a variances from Title 11, Sign Regulations, Vail Town Code,
pursuant to Chapter 11 -10, Variances, Vail Town Code, to allow for the
installation of new signs at the medical center, located at 181 West Meadow
Drivel Lots E & F, Vail Village Filing 2, and setting forth details in regard thereto."
Should the Planning and Environmental Commission choose to approve this variance
request, the Community Development Department recommends the Commission pass
the following condition:
Town of Vail Page 6
"1. This sign variance approval is contingent upon the applicant obtaining Town
of Vail design review approval for this proposal. "
Should the Planning and Environmental Commission choose to approve this variance
request with conditions, the Community Development Department recommends the
Commission makes the following findings:
'Based upon a review of Section Vll of the Staff's May 9, 2011 memorandum to
the Planning and Environmental Commission, the site visit, and the evidence and
testimony presented, the Planning and Environmental Commission finds:
1. Special circumstances and conditions, unique to the subject site, exist that
apply to the land, buildings, topography, vegetation, and sign structures that
would substantially restrict the effectiveness of the sign in question.
2. The applicant did not create the circumstances that have necessitated this
variance request.
3. The applicant has demonstrated that granting of this variance is in general
harmony with the purposes of Title 11, Sign Regulations, Vail Town Code."
IX. ATTACHMENTS
A. Vicinity Map
B. Applicant's Request
Town of Vail Page 7
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