Item 9BCase No.
MSP19-0002
S T A F F R E P O R T
October 8, 2019
CASE NO: MSP19-0002
PROJECT: Amendment to the Master Sign Plan for Baylor Scott & White / USPI
Southlake Medical Office Building
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY: On behalf of the new owner, Welltower, KNJ Graphx is requesting approval of an
amendment to their Master Sign Plan (MSP) to allow five (5) additional attached
building signs. The existing medical office building is located at 925 E. Southlake
Blvd., Southlake, Texas.
DETAILS: The Baylor Scott & White medical office building is generally located on the
northwest corner of Zena Rucker Rd. and Tower Blvd.
On September 5, 2017, City
Council approved a MSP
(MSP17-002) for the newly
constructed Baylor Scott &
White building to allow two (2)
upper story signs on the north
elevation (facing SL Blvd.), two
(2) first story signs on the east
elevation (facing Tower Blvd.),
and two (2) monument signs
(one at the entrance off Tower
Blvd. and one off site on the lot
to the north visible from SL Blvd.).
On April 4, 2019, the Sign
Board denied a request for an
upper story sign for Prism
Dermatology and a lower
story sign for Baylor Scott &
White Urgent Care (both signs
on the north elevation).
On April 16, 2019, the
applicant proposed a revised
first story sign as “urgent
care” only (removing the
Baylor Scott & White text and
logo) as well as the previously
Case No.
MSP19-0002
proposed sign for Prism Dermatology for City Council consideration. After
discussion with the applicant, City Council voted to table the item.
The following points were discussed:
• City Council would like to discuss the amendments to the MSP with a facility
administrator.
• Signage is starting to look like “hodge podge” and would like to see uniformity
in color.
• Provide alternative option(s) for the proposed Urgent Care sign.
The current new owner, Welltower, is proposing to amend the MSP to allow for the
originally proposed Prism Dermatology upper story sign, two (2) additional lower
story signs on the north elevation; and, two (2) additional upper story signs on the
east elevation. These signs are meant to serve any future tenant signage. The
proposed signs will meet general sign ordinance (Ord. No. 704, as amended)
regulations regarding letter/logo height and sign area. The applicant is also
proposing the upper story signs be brown and the lower story signs be a light color
in order to have uniformity on the building. All proposed signs shall be halo lit. All
other previously approved signs shall remain.
Below is an updated summary of the requested signs:
Proposed Sign Brief Description Sign Ordinance 704-J Current
Master Sign Plan
North Elevation
• One (1) reverse lit channel
letter attached building sign
• Approx. 30.18 square feet in
area
• 18.48 inch letter height
• 32.52 inch logo height
• Proposed sign location is not
congruent with lease space
• Upper story signs
require City Council
approval
• Max 37 square feet
area allowed
• Max 36 inch letter
height allowed
• Max 37.25 inch logo
height allowed
• Signs shall be
located on a façade
congruent with the
tenant’s lease space
• Two (2) upper story
signs approved for the
north elevation and
two (2) first story signs
approved for the east
elevation. Two (2)
development
monument signs were
also approved.
North Elevation
• two (1) halo lit attached
building signs – light in color
• size will meet Ord No. 704
criteria
• Max 93 square feet
area allowed
• Max 36 inch letter
height allowed
• Max 37.25 inch logo
height allowed
• Two (2) upper story
signs approved for the
north elevation and
two (2) first story signs
approved for the east
elevation. Two (2)
development
monument signs were
also approved.
Case No.
MSP19-0002
Proposed Sign Brief Description Sign Ordinance 704-J Current
Master Sign Plan
East Elevation
• Two (2) upper story
attached building signs
• Halo illumination
• Brown in color
• Size will meet Ord No. 704
criteria
• Upper story signs
require City Council
approval
• Max 40 square feet
area allowed
• Max 16 inch letter
height allowed
• Max 20.75 inch
logo height allowed
• Two (2) upper story
signs approved for the
north elevation and
two (2) first story
signs approved for the
east elevation. Two
(2) development
monument signs were
also approved.
ACTION NEEDED: Consider Approval of Master Sign Plan Amendment
ATTACHMENTS: (A) Background Information
(B) Vicinity Map
• Presentation
• Signage Packet
• Narrative
• MSP17-002
STAFF CONTACT: Dennis Killough (748-8072)
Lorrie Fletcher (748-8069)
Case No. Attachment A
MSP19-0002 Page 1
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
APPLICANT: KNJ Graphx
OWNER: Welltower
PROPERTY SITUATION: 925 E. Southlake Blvd.
HISTORY: The “C-3” General Commercial Zoning District designation was assigned to
a portion of the property with adoption of Zoning Ordinance 480 in 1989.
A zoning change & site plan (ZA07-124) and Preliminary Plat (ZA07-125) to
develop approximately 90,000 square feet of office space and change
Zoning from “C-3” General Commercial District to “S-P-1” Detailed Site Plan
District were approved February 19, 2008 by City Council.
A zoning change and site plan (ZA09-059) to change the most northeast
building (Building 3) to a Nursing College use and building and the two most
southern office buildings to a 90-bed personal care/assisted living facility was
withdrawn by the applicant.
A zoning change and site plan (ZA10-041) that kept the layout and
general/medical office use of the two northernmost buildings on the
approved Invitation Park plan, but that proposed a three-story, 64,800
square foot medical center/hospital in place of the five other buildings, was
denied by City Council on August 17, 2010.
A zoning change and site plan (ZA10-054) for Tower Plaza that included a
three-story, 64,800 square foot medical center/hospital on the southern
portion of the property and one two-story, 40,968 square foot office building
along E. Southlake Blvd. was approved December 7, 2010.
A preliminary plat (ZA11-041) for Lots 1 and 2, Block 1, Tower Plaza Addition
that showed one lot north and one lot south of the future Zena Rucker Rd.
was approved October 4, 2011.
A final Plat (ZA11-042) for Lots 1 and 2, Block 1, Tower Plaza Addition that
showed one lot north and one lot south of the future Zena Rucker Rd. was
approved on October 19, 2011 after no action taken in thirty (30) days.
A preliminary plat (ZA12-012) for Lots 1 & 2, Block 1, Tower Plaza Addition
was approved by City Council on April 17, 2012.
A one-year extension was approved by City Council on April 15, 2014. The
Preliminary Plat subsequently expired on April 15, 2015.
A zoning change and site plan (ZA15-139) for Tower Plaza that included a
three-story, 43,000 square foot medical office building on the southern
portion of the property and one two-story, 25,000 square foot outpatient
surgery/medical office building along E Southlake Blvd was approved March
1, 2016.
Case No. Attachment A
MSP19-0002 Page 2
A preliminary plat (ZA15-140) was approved for Lots 1&2, Block 1, Tower
Plaza Addition by City Council on March 1, 2016.
A Master Sign Plan (MSP17-002) for Baylor Scott & White was approved
September 5, 2017. The approval of the Master Sign Plan was as presented;
specifically noting the Building I, medical office building, be allowed to have
four (4) attached signs which include the following: first, two (2) upper story
attached building signs on the north façade of the building facing FM 1709
and matching the sign specifications presented at the meeting; and secondly
two (2) first story attached building signs on the east facade facing Tower
Blvd. and matching the signs specifications presented at the meeting; in
addition, the City Council allowed a maximum of two monument signs for the
entire 5.7 acre site, noting that the monument signs will match the sign
specifications presented at the meeting.
SIGN BOARD: April 4, 2019; Denied (5-1) (Rothmeier)
CITY COUNCIL: April 16, 2019; Tabled (7-0)
STAFF COMMENTS: City Council approval of the proposed signs does not eliminate the
requirement for appropriate sign application submittal prior to the installation
of the sign. Please contact Seantay Carpenter at 817-748-8215 or
scarpenter@ci.southlake.tx.us for sign application processing and pre-install
inspection.
Design Guidelines - Master Sign Plans:
Commercial signage is an integral part of the urban design fabric of Southlake. It is absolutely
necessary and shall be deemed as a tool that helps promote the health, safety and welfare of the
general public by providing guidance to both the vehicular driver and pedestrian. Due to its visual
prominence and effect on the overall design character of our city, signage as part of master sign
plans must be considered on the broader scale of community rather than on an individual site basis.
Signage is an integral part of the visual urban streetscape and shall not be designed to visually
compete with its surroundings, but rather serve to build on the quality of the traveler’s and
pedestrian’s experience. The basis for submitting a master sign plan application sh ould not be to
have larger signs or logos permitted by ordinance but should clearly be related to the sign design
goals listed below:
Design Goals
1. To develop organized hierarchies of signage design types that help identify the
location and size standards for individual signs without infringing on the capability of
creative design.
2. To establish design criteria that promote the overall visual quality of the streetscape
environment for the general public while providing reasonable and improved
standards for identification of individual properties.
3. To improve the overall visual cohesive appearance of the site through signage
guidelines, with strong consideration that the visual streetscape.
4. To promote a “sense of place” for the City of Southlake while promoting creative
Case No. Attachment A
MSP19-0002 Page 3
design for individual developments.
5. To promote signage as an architectural complement rather than being visually and
thematically disconnected.
Master Signage Plan Application
The master signage program application shall include, at a minimum, the following
to be deemed a completed application:
A master site plan showing a location of each of the proposed signage type(s).
Dimension and label the sign types and include distance measurement of the signs
location from the nearest public right-of way.
Provide signage elevations (dimensioned and labeled) indicating proposed text
areas, materials, material finishes, colors, lighting and identifiable references as to
how the signage design relates to the proposed architecture. Identify any
landscaping elements proposed.
For all signage is to be mounted on building façades, provide accurate building
elevations that show signage dimension, signage location, text areas, materials,
material finishes, colors and identifiable references as to how the signage design
relates to the proposed architecture.
If the applicant is requesting any variances from the current regulations as part of
the master sign plan, please indicate the location of the variance, what the variance
request is for and specific reason/justification for the variance and how the variance
promotes are adheres to the design goals provided.
A master sign plan application will be considered by the City Council following a
recommendation by the Sign Board. The Sign Board’s recommendation will be
forwarded to the City Council for their consideration.
The sign design guidelines are designed to help ensure quality signs that
communicate their message in a clear fashion; however, the “guidelines” are not as
strict as sign “standards.” The review authority may interpret the design guidelines
with some flexibility in their application to specific signs/projects, as not all design
criteria may be workable or appropriate for each sign or project. In some
circumstances, one guideline may be relaxed to facilitate compliance with another
guideline determined by the review authority to be more important in the particular
case. The overall objective is to ensure that the intent and spirit of the design
guidelines are followed.
N:\Community Development\MEMO\Signs\Conditional Sign Permits\MSP19-0002 - Baylor Scott & White\CC2 Packet\Item 9A.docx
Case No. Attachment B
MSP19-0002 Page 1