Minutes

CITY OF DOVER PLANNING COMMISSION December 16, 2013 The Regular Meeting of the City of Dover Planning Commission was held on Monday, December 16, 2013 at 7:00 PM with Chairman Colonel Welsh presiding. Members present were Mr. Holden, Mr. Cregar, Mr. Tolbert, Mr. Holt, Mr. Baldwin, Dr. Jones, Ms. Still and Colonel Welsh. Mr. Ambruso was absent. Staff members present were Mrs. Townshend, Mrs. Melson-Williams, Ms. Duca and Mrs. Mullaney. Also present were Mr. Bill Ayers and Mr. Freddy Bada. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Dr. Jones moved to approve the agenda as submitted, seconded by Ms. Still and the motion was unanimously carried 8-0 with Mr. Ambruso absent. APPROVAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 18, 2013 Ms. Still moved to approve the Planning Commission minutes of November 18, 2013, seconded by Mr. Baldwin and the motion was unanimously carried 8-0 with Mr. Ambruso absent. APPROVAL OF THE QUARTERLY WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 19, 2013 Mr. Holt moved to approve the Quarterly Workshop minutes of November 19, 2013, seconded by Ms. Still and the motion was unanimously carried 8-0 with Mr. Ambruso absent. COMMUNICATIONS & REPORTS Mrs. Townshend provided an update on the regular City Council and Utility Committee meetings held on November 25, 2013 and December 9, 2013. Mrs. Townshend stated that the next Planning Commission meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers. OPENING REMARKS CONCERNING DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS Mrs. Townshend presented the audience information on policies and procedures for the meeting. OLD BUSINESS 1) Requests for Extensions of Planning Commission Approval: None NEW BUSINESS NEW DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS 1) US-13-02 Delaware Technical Community College Comprehensive Signage Plan – Public Hearing and Review of a Unified Comprehensive Signage Plan application to permit the construction and implementation of an exterior gateway signage system for the Delaware Technical Community College Terry Campus consisting of five freestanding signs at site entrances and gateway property corners. The property is zoned I-O (Institutional and Office Zone). The property 1

CITY OF DOVER PLANNING COMMISSION DECEMBER 16, 2013 is located on the west side of North DuPont Highway between West Denneys Road and Scarborough Road. The owner of record is State of Delaware – Delaware Technical & Community College. Address: 100 Campus Drive. Tax Parcels: ED-05-057.00.01-01.00-000, ED-05-057.01-01- 06.00-000, ED-05-057.01-01-07.00-000 and ED-05-057.00-01-08.00-000. Council District 3. This application was postponed from the November meeting due to inadequate Public Notice. Representatives: Mr. Bill Ayers, Delaware Tech; Mr. Freddy Bada, Moonlight Architecture, Inc. Mrs. Melson-Williams stated that this is a request for a Unified Comprehensive Signage Plan for the Del-Tech Terry Campus site. They had an existing series of four (4) signs that will be removed and replaced by this new signage concept that consists of five (5) monument signs. These signs are proposed to mark the key corners of the campus and then re-do the signage at the two (2) main entrances. The Sign Regulations allow four (4) different types of signs and sizes of signs based on the type of road that a property is adjacent to. Staff outlined in their report the types of signs that this project would be eligible for based on having frontage on North DuPont Highway, Scarborough Road and West Denneys Road. In all cases, it limits the number of signs and the types of signs including their size. By moving through the Unified Comprehensive Signage Plan, the Planning Commission is granted the ability to grant approval to additional signage; basically increasing the number of signs as well as increasing sign area than would typically be allowed under the normal Sign Regulations. In looking at a Comprehensive Signage Plan the overall concept is not to be excessive; it’s supposed to be in proportion to the scale of the buildings and the uses on the site. It looks to create an architectural harmony amongst the signs and with the Campus itself. The Zoning Ordinance goes through a series of guidelines for the Planning Commission to actually consider when reviewing the project for signage. There are four (4) existing signs; Staff outlined them on page 4 of the DAC Report. There is an existing pylon sign and then other monument signs that will be removed and replaced with their new signage. The new signage consists of a series of five (5) signs that pick up on the idea of utilizing a brick wall element as part of each sign. The largest and most significant sign is found in the format of a brick wall that has a sign panel that lists the name of the College and then identifies Terry Campus on lower portions of the wall. It also repeats the diamond logo for the College. This sign is proposed at the corner of Route 13 and Scarborough Road which is a key gateway corner. At the intersection there is a North Dover Gateway sign that welcomes people to the Capital city. Wilmington College, diagonally across also has similar gateway type signage. At the other key corner of the campus found at the corner of West Denneys Road and Route 13, they are proposing a very similar type of monument wall sign grouping. It will be slightly smaller in size but similar in format to the main primary gateway element. At the entrances to the campus signage is also proposed on for their entrance from West Denneys Road. It is simplified in using a brick base with a brick pier column and just the sign panel for the College. It will be located in the median of that entrance. At the somewhat larger entrance to the campus from Scarborough Road, they find a repeat of the wall system for the College presented on the west side of that entrance. On the east side they are proposing a changeable copy sign in form that follows the brick base with brick pier and utilizes the LED changeable piece as the sign panel element. The overall square footage for the sign panels totals to two hundred seventy-eight (278) feet and then there is 2

CITY OF DOVER PLANNING COMMISSION DECEMBER 16, 2013 additional square footage if they count the Terry Campus labels on signs as well as the diamond logos. Staff is recommending approval of this exterior gateway signage system for the project, noting that is harmonious with the use of brick and similar formats to the sign panels themselves. They don’t find it to be excessive and they also note that the sign height is reasonable even if these are considered wall elements in their placement. They provided some other courtesy comments related to the plan review and technical review also came from the City of Dover Public Works Department and DelDOT in regards to the signs that were proposed. Mr. Bada stated that Delaware Technical Community College is looking to unify all of their campuses and this is something that they are doing campus-wide at every individual campus. They are trying to keep this in harmony with what’s going on in the City of Dover as well as what’s going on campus-wide to give it all one sort of identity. This is one part in the four (4) different campuses that Del-Tech has. Mr. Ayers stated that they do agree with the DAC comments. Mr. Cregar stated that he visited the site because the proposal looked like a lot of signs but when he saw where the signs were going to be he thought it was going to be a really nice layout for the signage and for marking the college campus itself. Mr. Ayers stated that it ties in nicely with what is existing. He thinks it will be exceptional. Ms. Still stated that she thinks it’s a well laid out plan and the signs are very attractive. Colonel Welsh opened a public hearing and after seeing no one wishing to speak, closed the public hearing. Ms. Still moved to approve US-13-02 Delaware Technical Community College Comprehensive Signage Plan, inclusive of all DAC comments, seconded by Mr. Baldwin and the motion was unanimously carried 8-0 with Mr. Ambruso absent. 2) MI-13-21 Request for Street Abandonment: Budd Street – Public Hearing and Review for Recommendation to City Council on a request to abandon the improved street known as Budd Street. It is currently improved as a drive aisle and parking lot between the Weyandt Hall at 5 E. Reed Street and the old Dover Public Library at 45 South State Street. This request consists of Budd Street as it runs east-west from South State Street to Kings Highway. This request was filed by City of Dover. Council District 2. Representatives: None Mrs. Townshend stated that Budd Street is the area inclusive of a portion of the parking lot and sidewalk in front of the old library at 45 South State Street. The Staff Report provides a little bit of history on the street but it appears that when the city consolidated properties and when 5 East Reed Street was built, Reed Street itself was built. The City is the applicant in this case. The City is in the process of trying to sell the library and they just want to clean up the lot lines. 3

CITY OF DOVER PLANNING COMMISSION DECEMBER 16, 2013 Staff has reviewed this application. The Public Works comments indicate some of the easements that they would need. The recommendation from Staff is in favor of the abandonment provided that the easements are included. Mr. Holt stated that he visited the area trying to find the street but found that it is actually a parking lot. He thinks it’s a good idea to eliminate the street name and use it like it is intended. He questioned if it will continue to be used as parking for that area? Responding to Mr. Holt, Ms. Duca stated that it is actually north of that parking lot so none of the parking area is actually on the street. That remains on the Reed Street property. Mr. Cregar questioned if it were more the sidewalk area? Responding to Mr. Cregar, Mrs. Townshend stated that it was the sidewalk area. The problem is that they can’t adjust the lot line for the library to include some of that parking if that street still exists. Colonel Welsh stated that Budd Street is a very narrow street; the width of a sidewalk. Colonel Welsh opened a public hearing and after seeing no one wishing to speak, closed the public hearing. Mr. Cregar moved to recommend approval to City Council of MI-13-21 Request for Street Abandonment: Budd Street, seconded by Mr. Holt. Mr. Baldwin questioned if they had to mention the required easements in the motion? Responding to Mr. Baldwin, Mrs. Townshend stated that they could do so by accepting the DAC comments. The previous motion was amended. Mr. Cregar moved to recommend approval to City Council of MI-13-21 Request for Street Abandonment: Budd Street to include all DAC comments, seconded by Mr. Holt and the motion was unanimously carried 8-0 with Mr. Ambruso absent. Meeting adjourned at 7:22 PM Sincerely, Kristen Mullaney Secretary 4