report pl35-12: re: minor variance to the sign by-law - Town of Whitby

TOWN OF WHITBYREPORTRECOMMENDATION REPORTREPORT TO: Planning and Development Committee REPORT NO: PL 35-12DATE OF MEETING: May 14, 2012FILE NO(S): SB-01-12PREPARED BY: Planning DepartmentLOCATION: 80 ThicksonRoad SouthREPORT TITLE/SUBJECT: Minor Variance to the Sign By-lawDaniel Johnson Architects Inc. for Starbucks CoffeeCanada1.0 RECOMMENDATION:That Council approve minor variance application SB-01-12 to the Town ofWhitby Sign By-law 5695-05 for Starbucks Coffee Canada in accordance with thefollowing amendments;1. To increase the wall sign projection from 50 cm (0.5 metres) to 150 cm (1.5metres) for the Starbucks Coffee signs ‘C’ and ‘D’ on the east and southelevations respectively, and;2. To increase the menu board sign area from 1.0 square metre to 3.0 squaremetres.2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:A minor variance application to the Town of Whitby Sign By-law 5695-05 has beensubmitted for the property at 80 Thickson Road to increase the wall sign projectionfrom 50 cm (0.5 metres) to 150 cm (1.5 metres) for two Starbucks Coffee wall signs,and to increase the menu board sign area from 1.0 square metre to 3.0 square metres,to reflect the standard Starbucks Coffee menu board. The Planning Departmentrecommends that the minor variance application to the Sign By-law be approved.3.0 ORIGIN:The Planning Department is in receipt of a sign variance application for 80 ThicksonRoad South as submitted by Daniel Johnson Architect Inc., on behalf of the tenant,Starbucks Coffee Canada.

Report to: Planning and Development CommitteeReport No.: PL 35-12 Page 2 of 54.0 BACKGROUND:The sign variance application has been submitted to the Town of Whitby Sign By-law5695-05 in order to increase the projection of two wall signs from 50 cm (0.5 metres)to 150 cm (1.5 metres) and to increase the menu board sign area from 1.0 squaremetre to 3.0 square metres.The free-standing Starbucks Coffee building is located within an existing commercialplaza and is currently under construction, scheduled to open in the spring of 2012. Thebuilding lies mid-block, perpendicular to the Thickson Road South frontage, with thedrive-thru circulation along the south side of the free-standing building.The two projecting wall signs requiring relief from the Sign By-law are located on thesouth and east elevations, 3.35 metres above the ground and both will read“Starbucks Coffee” in illuminated letters.The drive-thru route consists of a directional entrance sign, a 2.9 metre overheadclearance bar and two (2) parallel queuing lanes of three vehicles, merging into asingle lane at the pre-menu board. Beyond the pre-menu board, the subject menuboard is located adjacent to the south west corner of the building. A directional exitsign completes the drive-thru route.Note, the on-site directional signs and pre-menu board are exempt from the Town ofWhitby Sign By-law under Section 13(1)(e) as they are within the permitted maximumallowances.Site StatisticsSite Location : Concession 1, Part Lot 21 (see Attachment # 1)Site Size : 43,625 m2 (4.362 ha/10.78 acre) – Existing PlazaPresent Use : Commercial Retail Unit (Starbucks Coffee Canada)Official Plan Designation : Major Commercial on Official Plan Schedule ‘A’Present Zone Category : C1 – Commercial Zone, By-law 1784, asamended (see Attachment # 2)Surrounding Land : North – CommercialUsesSouth – Residential (Single family dwellings)East – CommercialWest – Residential (Durham Christian Homes)

Report to: Planning and Development CommitteeReport No.: PL 35-12 Page 3 of 55.0 DISCUSSION/OPTIONS:The existing commercial plaza, in which the free-standing commercial retail unit(Starbucks Coffee) lies, is comprised of a variety of tenants who are largely situated inboth the plaza and four other free-standing buildings (see Attachment # 3). Currently,only two tenants have a drive-thru operation associated with their businesses.Presently, the Town of Whitby Sign By-law permits a maximum projection of 50 cm(0.5 metre) from an exterior wall, whereas, the two wall signs ‘C’ and ‘D’ (seeAttachment # 4) both project approximately 150 cm (1.5 metres). The Sign By-law alsolimits the proposed menu board size to 1.0 square metre, whereas the applicant isproposing a menu board with an area of 3.0 square metres.The rationale for the two wall signs ‘C’ and ‘D’ extending beyond the permittedmaximum is to increase the visibility for vehicular traffic and pedestrians alongThickson Road and within the commercial complex. The rationale for the larger menuboard is to coincide with Starbucks’ corporate standard.Sign By-law 5695-05The Town of Whitby Sign By-law permits the following in a Commercial Zone;1(x)“sign, wall” means a sign attached flat and parallel to the exterior wall of abuilding and projecting therefrom a maximum of 50.0 centimetres andadvertising the use or occupancy of the premises upon which the sign islocated;13(1) (e)An onsite traffic directional sign, pre-sell board or menu board having amaximum area of 1.0 square metre and a maximum height of 2.0 metres;The proposed Starbucks Coffee menu board will feature a maximum height of 1.82metres and a signage area of 2.92 square metres (see Attachment # 5).Several examples of the proposed menu board have been successfully installed byStarbucks Coffee within the Town of Whitby in recent years. Starbucks Coffee appliedfor the same variance to the sign by-law in late 2011 at their newly constructedTaunton at Thickson location, of which, represents the standard size menu boardsutilized at many Starbucks Coffee Drive-Thru locations. Furthermore, the proposedmenu board sign is consistent in maintaining the overall image, colour palette andidentity of the building as a whole.

Report to: Planning and Development CommitteeReport No.: PL 35-12 Page 4 of 5As such, the Planning Department recommends that Council approve the Sign By-lawminor variance application SB-01-12 to increase the wall sign projection from 50 cm(0.5 metres) to 150 cm (1.5 metres) for the Starbucks Coffee signs ‘C’ and ‘D’ on theeast and south elevations respectively, and to increase the menu board sign area from1.0 square metre to 3.0 square metres.6.0 PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS/PLAN:As this application concerns a minor variance to the Town of Whitby’s Sign By-law, astatutory public meeting is not required in this circumstance under the Municipal Act.7.0 CONSIDERATIONS:A. PUBLICN/AB. FINANCIALN/AC. IMPACT ON & INPUT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS/SOURCESN/AD. CORPORATE AND/OR DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PRIORITIESN/A8.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONThat minor variance application SB-01-12 to the Town of Whitby Sign By-law 5695-05for Starbucks Coffee Canada be approved in accordance with the following;1. To increase the wall sign projection from 50 cm (0.5 metres) to 150 cm (1.5metres) for the Starbucks Coffee signs ‘C’ and ‘D’ on the east and southelevations respectively, and;2. To increase the menu board sign area from 1.0 square metre to 3.0 squaremetres.

Report to: Planning and Development CommitteeReport No.: PL 35-12 Page 5 of 59.0 ATTACHMENTSAttachment # 1: Location SketchAttachment # 2: Excerpt from Zoning By-law 1784Attachment # 3: Sign Site Plan Detail (Daniel Johnson Architects – A1.0)Attachment # 4: Wall Signs ‘C’ and ‘D’ (Daniel Johnson Architects – A4.0)Attachment # 5: Sign Drive-Thru & Menu Board Detail (Daniel JohnsonArchitects – A2.0)For further information contact:Carl Geiger, Ext. 2355___________________________________________Robert B. Short, Commissioner of Planning, Ext. 4309___________________________________________Robert Petrie, Chief Administrative Officer, Ext. 2211