3.             SIGN BY-LAW MINOR VARIANCE - 3191 RIVERSIDE DRIVE

 

DÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT SUR LES ENSEIGNES - 3191, PROMENADE RIVERSIDE

 

 

 

Committee recommendation as amended

 

That Council approve a variance to Sign By-law 2005-439, to permit an internally illuminated identification ground sign, including an illuminated message centre with a display area of 1.0 square metres, installed with an overall height of 3.1 metres and a total sign face area of 4.25 square metres at 3191 Riverside Drive, as detailed in revised Document 3 showing the revised elevation of the sign.

 

 

Recommandation modifiÉeS du Comité

 

Que le Conseil approuve une dérogation mineure au Règlement sur les enseignes 2005-439 afin de permettre au 3191, promenade Riverside un panneau d’identification au sol éclairé de l’intérieur, y compris un affichage de messages éclairé avec une surface d’affichage de 1,0 mètre carré, d’une hauteur totale de 3,1 mètres et d’une surface totale de 4,25 mètres carrés une fois installé, comme il est expliqué en détail dans le Document 3 révisé, qui montre l’élévation modifiée du panneau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.                  Deputy City Manager, Planning, Transit and the Environment report dated 19 August 2008 (ACS2008-PTE-BLD-0031).

 

2.         Extract of Draft Minutes, 9 September 2008.


Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

19 August 2008 / le 19 août 2008

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Planning, Transit and the Environment

Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement 

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Sandra Garnett, Manager/Gestionnaire, Business Integration Services/Services d'integration des activities

Building Code Services Branch/Direction des services du code du bâtiment

(613) 580-2424 x 41544, Sandra.Garnett@ottawa.ca

 

River/Rivière (16)

Ref N°: ACS2008-PTE-BLD-0031

 

 

SUBJECT:

SIGN BY-LAW MINOR VARIANCE - 3191 RIVERSIDE DRIVE

 

 

OBJET :

DÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT SUR LES ENSEIGNES - 3191, promenade riverside

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council approve a variance to Sign By-law 2005-439, to permit an internally illuminated identification ground sign, including an illuminated message centre with a display area of 1.0 square metres, installed with an overall height of 3.1 metres and a total sign face area of 4.25 square metres at 3191 Riverside Drive, as detailed in Document 3.

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver une dérogation mineure au Règlement sur les enseignes 2005-439 afin de permettre au 3191, promenade Riverside un panneau d’identification au sol éclairé de l’intérieur, y compris un affichage de messages éclairé avec une surface d’affichage de 1,0 mètre carré, d’une hauteur totale de 3,1 mètres et d’une surface totale de 4,25 mètres carrés une fois installé, comme il est expliqué en détail dans le Document 3.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The applicant has applied for a minor variance to Sign By law 2005-439, to permit an internally illuminated ground sign, with a message centre in a District 2 zone, that exceeds the height, area and illumination provisions for this institutional use, Riverside United Church.  A ground sign in a District 2 use zone must not exceed a height of two metres, a total area of three square metres with a non-illuminated message centre no greater than 25 per cent of the permitted identification sign area.  In this case, the proposed message centre area at 1.4 square metres has been reduced to 0.75 square metres or 18 per cent.

 

The property is located just south of the intersection of Riverside Drive and Walkley Road (see Document 1).  The adjacent uses are residential.  Riverside Drive is listed as an arterial roadway and also as one of the City's scenic-entry routes.  This sign is intended to replace the existing ground signage and be located near the frontage of the property.  The applicant has reduced the scale of the message centre area to lessen the illumination glare of the sign because of expressed concerns generated by the circulation to the public and technical agencies.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The church currently utilizes numerous small signs to identify the use and activities at this location, which tend to clutter the front entranceway to the property.  The intent of the new sign is to consolidate all the necessary identification information on one sign.  Existing signs on the property will be removed once the new sign is installed.  Activities of the church will be displayed on the message centre.  In addition, the property owner intends to place a timer on the sign to close off the illumination of the sign at night to save energy and to lessen its impact on the community.

 

Although the proposed sign exceeds the height and area requirements, it is deemed appropriate given the significant setbacks from adjacent residential uses.  The style of lighting, utilizing "reversed" illumination with the lights projecting through the letters and images on an opaque background, will also dampen light intensity.  The proposed scale of the message centre was of concern, however, the applicant agreed to reduce the size of the message centre by 36 per cent to lessen the impact to the community.  As a result, the required increase in the by-law maximum area limitation is now minimal.  With the sign oriented toward a major arterial, Riverside Drive, and having reduced the scale of the message centre in response to community concerns, the size and height of the sign is viewed as acceptable.

 

The Department is satisfied the scale and illumination of the proposed sign is in keeping with the intent of the Sign By-law and will fulfill the needs of the church with little or no impact to the community or the streetscape along Riverside Drive.

 

CONSULTATION

 

In response to the standard circulation to property owners, business and community groups and the Ward Councillor, six were in favour and two were opposed to the original application.  The Ward Councillor is aware of the application.

 

Comments received from the National Capital Commission included concerns with the requested scale of the sign, how it would blend into the community and the impact upon the urban design for this particular roadway based on the illumination of the sign.  The message centre size was reduced in response to the comments.  The department supports the variance for the sign given the fact that the smaller message centre will lessen light spill over from the sign.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1      Location Plan

Document 2      Site Plan

Document 3      Elevation Drawing of Revised Requested Sign

 

DISPOSITION

 

City Clerk's Branch to notify the applicant, Ray Neon Signs Inc., Attention Randy Allen, on behalf of Riverside Churches of Ottawa Inc., 2870 Sheffield Road, Ottawa, ON, K1B 3V9 and the local Ward Councillor of Council's decision. 

 

Building Code Services will process the sign permit resulting from the Council direction in accordance with Sign By-law 2005-439.

 

 


LOCATION PLAN                                                                                                         Document 1

 


SITE PLAN                                                                                                                     Document 2

 


ELEVATION DRAWING OF REVISED REQUESTED SIGN              Document 3

 

 


SIGN BY-LAW MINOR VARIANCE - 3191 RIVERSIDE DRIVE

DÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT SUR LES ENSEIGNES - 3191, PROMENADE RIVERSIDE

ACS2008-PTE-BLD-0031                                                               River/Rivière (16)

 

Moved by P. Feltmate:

 

WHEREAS, Item 7 of Agenda 38 of the Planning and Environment Committee meeting dated September 9, 2008, recommends approval of an illuminated ground sign at 3191 Riverside Drive, as detailed in Document 3 of the submission;

 

AND WHEREAS, the elevation illustrated on Document 3 incorrectly shows the original elevation proposal instead of the revised elevation of the sign;

 

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that, for accuracy and clarity, Document 3 be deleted and replaced with the attached document.

 

                                                                                                CARRIED

 

That Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council approve a variance to Sign By-law 2005-439, to permit an internally illuminated identification ground sign, including an illuminated message centre with a display area of 1.0 square metres, installed with an overall height of 3.1 metres and a total sign face area of 4.25 square metres at 3191 Riverside Drive, as detailed in revised Document 3 showing the revised elevation of the sign.

 

                                                                                                CARRIED as amended