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Design Review Board

Level 1: Sign

7-D-16-DT

Installation of two painted wall signs, one on the garage door on the front (north) elevation and one on the side (west) elevation. The painted sign on the garage door (front elevation) only involves the word "Distillery" and not "Deliveries Only". This sign is approximately 6'-3" wide by 2'-6" tall (or 15.625 square feet). The painted sign on the side elevation (facing parking lot) is approximately 39'-9" wide by 5'-7" tall, or ~222 square feet. The brick on the side elevation is currently painted grey and remain unchanged. The words "Knox Whiskey Works" will be painted over the grey paint.

CORRECTION by applicant, approved by staff (8/8/2016): The dimensions of the large painted sign on the side of the building has been corrected by the applicant and is smaller than what was approved by the Board on 7/20/2016. The actual dimensions are 34'-0" wide by 5'-2" tall, or ~175.5 square feet.

Location
516 W Jackson Ave
Applicant Request
Installation of two painted wall signs, one on the garage door on the front (north) elevation and one on the side (west) elevation. The painted sign on the garage door (front elevation) only involves the word "Distillery" and not "Deliveries Only". This sign is approximately 6'-3" wide by 2'-6" tall (or 15.625 square feet). The painted sign on the side elevation (facing parking lot) is approximately 39'-9" wide by 5'-7" tall, or ~222 square feet. The brick on the side elevation is currently painted grey and remain unchanged. The words "Knox Whiskey Works" will be painted over the grey paint.

CORRECTION by applicant, approved by staff (8/8/2016): The dimensions of the large painted sign on the side of the building has been corrected by the applicant and is smaller than what was approved by the Board on 7/20/2016. The actual dimensions are 34'-0" wide by 5'-2" tall, or ~175.5 square feet.
Staff Comments
The maximum allowed area for attached signs is 10 percent of the area of primary building elevation, which in this case the front elevation facing Jackson Avenue. This elevation is approximately 700 square feet total, so the total sign area allowed for attached signs is approximately 70 square feet. Attached signs are those permanently affixed to or painting on a building, including wall signs, hanging/projecting signs, awning/canopy signs, and painted signs. If the board approves a sign area larger than 70 square feet, the applicant will be required to receive approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals to increase the allowed area for attached signs to that whatever the board approves, including the area for the previously approved and installed projecting sign. Also, if the board approves a sign area larger than that allowed by the sign ordinance, the approval should be contingent upon receiving a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals for the total area of attached sign, including the area of the existing projecting sign.

Applicable guidelines:

HISTORIC RESOURCES
Section 1.C.7. (RECOMMENDED SIGNS)
Commercial establishments need to advertise. However, advertising signs should be effective and appropriate to historic areas without contributing to visual clutter. Primary concerns are a sign's location, size, material, and illumination.

GUIDELINES:
7a. Locate signs above storefront windows, below second-story windows on the sign board, or on the storefront windows themselves (30% is maximum coverage), or off the front of the building as a projecting sign (maximum size: 9 square feet).
7b. Create signs that are proportional to the building where they are located.
7c. Do not light signs internally.
7d. Allow painted signs on building walls in the warehouse area along Jackson Avenue, and in some other locations along Gay Street.
7e. Preserve signs that are historic elements of buildings.

THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT
Section 2.C.1. (RECOMMENDED SIGNS)
The entire Warehouse district is already listed on the National Register of Historic Places and these buildings are also eligible for local overlays. Signs should therefore be governed by historic standards. These recommendations recognize that certain types of signs are dominant in the Warehouse District and should be encouraged in the future.
GUIDELINES:
1a. Projecting signs of modest size (9 square feet, maximum); a larger sign must be approved by the board
1b. Wall signs on sign boards mounted flush to the building facade
1c. Painted wall signs
1d. Painted or new window signs, less than 30 percent coverage, including neon signs
1e. Building name sign and/or building directory
Applicant

Robin Easter Design

Planning Staff
Mike Reynolds
Phone: 865-215-3827
Email: mike.reynolds@knoxplanning.org
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