TO: Chair and Members of the Design Review Committee
THRU: Anna Pehoushek, Assistant Community Development Director
FROM: Michael O’Toole, Assistant Planner
1. Subject
title
A request to install a new blade sign for a commercial office building in the Old Towne Historic District, 135 S. Lemon Street (Design Review No. 5144).
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2. Summary
body
The applicant proposes a new blade sign for a commercial office building at 135 S. Lemon Street. The property is not a contributor to the Old Towne Historic District.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
Approval by the Design Review Committee.
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4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Applicant: Signage Solutions
Owner: 240 West Chapman Partners, LLC
Property Location: 135 S. Lemon Street (APN: 390-663-19)
General Plan Designation: Old Towne Mixed Use 24 (OTMIX-24)
Zoning Classification: Old Towne Mixed Use 24 (SP) (OTMU-24 (SP)) - Santa Fe Depot Specific Plan
Existing Development: Contemporary post-war development office building
Associated Application: None
Previous DRC Project Review: None
5. project description
The project consists of:
• Installation of one circular pedestrian oriented blade sign located on the west elevation of the building facing Lemon Street. The sign is 7.1 square feet in area.
The lettering style and color reflect the company’s branding. The sign will not feature illumination and the sign and the lettering will be fabricated of aluminum. The half-inch flat cut out aluminum letters will be flush mounted on the sign face.
The sign shall be mounted to a plaster-coated stud wall by screws through a mounting plate obscured by a top cover.
6. EXISTING SITE
The site is developed with a one- and two-story commercial building constructed in the postwar development time period (1945 - 1975). The building was originally developed for religious use, but is now used for commercial offices. Smarty Social occupies the entire first floor of the one-story building facing Lemon Street. The building features stucco exterior walls and a pitched roof.
7. EXISTING AREA CONTEXT
The building is located south of the intersection of West Chapman Avenue and Lemon Street on the east side of South Lemon Street. The property is bordered by commercial uses to the north, including Snooze, Wazabi Sushi, and Wahoo’s; a public parking lot to the east; the American Legion to the south; and commercial uses and single-family residence to the west across South Lemon Street.
8. analysis and statement of the issues
The project complies with the Orange Municipal Code, the Depot Area Specific Plan, and the Historic Preservation Design Standards for Old Towne. No issues have been identified for the project.
9. ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATION
None.
10. PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice was provided to owners and tenants within 400 feet of the project on or before October 3, 2024, and the site was posted with a notice on or before that date.
11. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA Guidelines 15301 (Class 1 - Existing Facilities) because the project consists of adding new signage to an existing commercial property. There is no environmental public review required for a Categorical Exemption.
12. STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND REQUIRED FINDINGS
Findings for DRC applications come from four sources:
• The Orange Municipal Code
• The Infill Residential Design Guidelines
• The Historic Preservation Design Standards for Old Towne (commonly referred to the Old Towne Design Standards or OTDS)
• Orange Eichler Design Standards (or OEDS)
The Findings are applied as appropriate to each project. Based on the following Findings and statements in support of such Findings, staff recommends the DRC approve the project with recommended conditions.
• In the Old Towne Historic District, the proposed work conforms to the prescriptive standards and design criteria referenced and/or recommended by the DRC or other reviewing body for the project (OMC 17.10.070.G.1).
The proposed project is in conformance with the Historic Preservation Design Standards for Old Towne for commercial signage. The sign size, placement, and lighting meet the requirements set forth in the Design Standards and Orange Municipal Code. As such, the new sign shall have no adverse impact on the appearance or character of the Old Towne Historic District.
• In any National Register Historic District, the proposed work complies with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and guidelines (OMC 17.10.07.G.2).
Projects found to be in conformance with the Design Standards are generally considered to be in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The proposed sign is compatible with the building in its placement, size, design, and materials and will not negatively impact the streetscape of the Old Towne Historic District
• The project design upholds community aesthetics through the use of an internally consistent, integrated design theme and is consistent with all adopted specific plans, applicable design standards, and their required findings (OMC 17.10.07.G.3).
The proposed sign conforms to the prescriptive standards and design criteria set forth in the Historic Preservation Design Standards for Old Towne, the Santa Fe Depot Specific Plan, and Orange Municipal Code Section 17.36, as described above. The signage is proposed to be placed in a location appropriate for signage within a historic district and will not detract from the appearance of the property.
13. CONDITIONS
The approval of this project is subject to the following conditions:
1. Except as otherwise provided herein, this project is approved as a precise plan. After any application has been approved, if plan modifications are proposed regarding the location or alteration of any use or structure, or deviations become necessary to site improvements including, but not limited to, landscaping and parking because of unforeseen requirements from any City Department, utility provider, or State or Federal statute, a changed plan may be submitted to the Community Development Director for approval. If the Community Development Director determines that the proposed change complies with the findings, conditions, and the spirit and intent of the approval action, and that the action would have been the same for the changed plan as for the approved plan, the Community Development Director may approve the changed plan without requiring a new public hearing. Should the modifications be considered substantial, the modifications shall be reviewed and approved by the Design Review Committee.
2. The applicant agrees, as a condition of City’s approval of Design Review No. 5144, to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless, at applicant’s expense, the City, its officers, agents, and employees (“City”) from and against any claim, action or proceeding brought against the City, including, but not limited to, any claim, action or proceeding commenced within the time period provided in Government Code Section 66499.37 to attack, review, set aside, void or annul the City’s approval, to challenge the determination made by the City under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) or to challenge the reasonableness, legality or validity of any condition attached hereto. City shall promptly notify applicant of any such claim, action or proceeding to which the City receives notice and to cooperate fully with the applicant in the defense thereof. Applicant shall reimburse the City for any and all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, court costs and attorney’s fees that the City may be required to pay, including any expenses ordered by a court or expenses incurred through the Office of the City Attorney in connection with said claim, action or proceeding. City may, in its sole discretion, participate in the defense of any claim, action or proceeding but such participation shall not relieve applicant of the obligations of this condition. In the event the applicant is required to defend City in connection with such claim, action or proceeding, City shall have the right to approve counsel to so defend the City, approve all significant decisions concerning the manner in which the defense is conducted and approve any all settlements, which approval(s) shall not be unreasonably withheld. The obligations set forth herein remain in full force and effect throughout all stages of litigation including any and all appeals of any lower court judgment rendered in the proceeding. Further, applicant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City for all costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this provision.
3. The applicant shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws, including all City regulations. Violation of any of those laws in connection with the use may be cause for revocation of this permit.
4. The final approved conditions of approval shall be reprinted on the first or second page of the construction documents when submitting to the Building Division for the plan check process.
5. Construction permits shall be obtained for all future construction work, as required by the City of Orange, Building Division. Failure to obtain the required building permits will be cause for revocation of this permit.
6. An encroachment permit from the Public Works Department shall be obtained prior to building permit issuance to project over the public right-of-way.
7. If not utilized, project approval expires 24 months from the approval date. Extensions of time may be granted in accordance with OMC Section 17.08.060.
14. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1 - Vicinity Map
• Attachment 2 - DPR Form
• Attachment 3 - Project Plans
• Attachment 4 - Development Standards Table