Item7 staff memo RPAI Amendments
City of Southlake Values:
Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork
Item #7
M E M O R A N D U M
October 30, 2019
To: City Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z)/Sign Board
From: Ken Baker, Senior Director of Planning & Development Services
Subject: Item 7: Presentation on Retail Properties of America Inc. (RPAI) proposed
amendments to the Town Square Master Sign Plan and “DT” Downtown
Zoning District regulations and guidelines.
Action
Requested: The purpose of this item is to provide staff and RPAI direction with the
next steps for the proposed Town Square master sign plan and proposed
amendments to the Downtown District.
Presentation: Staff will provide an overview on the basis for the proposed amendments
to the current Town Square Master Sign Plan(s) and “DT” Downtown
Zoning District. Staff will explain the major proposed changes to the
existing master sign pland and “DT” Downtown ordinace. Staff will then
request feedback on the amendments and direction on moving forward
with processing the amendments.
Background
Information: The “DT” Downtown Zoning District, specifically Southlake Town Square,
serves as the backbone for the City and its economy. A place with
attractive spaces and landscaping, vibrant activity, and a development
geared towards a pedestrian friendly environment, Town Square highly
depends on the collaboration and cooperation between the City, the
developer (Cooper and Stebbins) and the property owners.
As a dynamic and also continuously evolving development, on-going
efforts are required to preserve the character, improve the experience,
and maintain the quality of the development.
Purpose: Retail Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI) wishes to modernize the
development ordinances governing Southlake Town Square to create
flexibility in the provision of signage, storefront appearance and lighting to
address the rapidly evolving, unique retail demands associated with a
pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use environment. The purpose and Intent
section of the draft master sign plan provided by RPAI notes the goal to
modernize while also protecting the distinct architectural character of
Town Square through the encouragement of excellent architectural
design that is responsible and responsive to the individual context of the
development.
Joint City Council – P&Z/Sign Board Meeting | November 4, 2019
Page 2 of 6
RPAI provided the following as their inspiration for the proposed
amendments:
• Aging shopping centers face increasing competition and challenges;
• Shopping precincts and district areas play an important role in
communities as a means [of] creating a sense of place and gathering;
• Amendment recommendations, as warranted, are to allow for
creativity and flexibility in order to facilitate an opportunity to reposition
and continue the development of Southlake Town Square.
There are currently four (4) separately adopted master sign plan
packages for Southlake Town Square:
• Phase I
• Grand Avenue
• Block 10
• Block 22
In addition to these sign packages for these different blocks within Town
Square, individual tenants may also request a sign variance or master
sign plan. Examples of conditional sign permits include Lululemon,
Granite, Trader Joe’s, Columbia PFG, Johnny Was, L Makeup Institute,
etc.
A driving force associated with the RPAI request is the establishment of
set parameters clearly defined that give staff the ability to administratively
approve permits, rather than taking each request through the legislative
process. The trends in retail and changing landscape of experiential retail
necessitate that RPAI request variances to accommodate their tenants.
Summary / Staff
Observations: Staff reviewed the early draft documents provided by RPAI to pull key
takeaways. Some of these early observations are highlighted below to
give the City Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission/Sign Board
additional context about the nature of the RPAI request. These comments
do not represent a holistic summation of the materials provided, but rather
serve to illustrate the foundational components of the request. An early
outcome identified by RPAI was to prepare a design manual with clear
and concise guidelines using text, precedent imagery, illustrations to
allow for administrative approval of signs/facades/lighting within
established design criteria.
General Staff Observations – RPAI Sign Proposal
• The proposal represents a redline document that essentially pulls
regulations from various components of existing City ordinances, such
as Section 37 – Downtown District (zoning ordinance) as well as the
Downtown District Design Guidelines, and 704-J (sign ordinance).
Staff has provided a sign definition comparisons matrix as an
attachment with this packet to help better organize the contents of the
Joint City Council – P&Z/Sign Board Meeting | November 4, 2019
Page 3 of 6
proposal and differentiate between the amendments proposed by
RPAI.
• Moving forward, the applicant will need to put together a stand-alone
master sign plan document for Town Square unique to this
environment, rather than pulling references such as standards,
definitions, and other regulations from the adopted sign ordinance.
The applicant has defined terms already ref erenced in the adopted in
Sign Ordinance No. 704-J, which is unnecessary and could be
confusing in the future. The applicant should incorporate a general
statement to this effect:
Where no provison, regulation or definition is given the City of
Southlake Sign Ordinance No. 704-J, the City’s Sign Ordinance No.
704-J shall govern.
• The RPAI proposal includes numerous sign types not currently
defined in the City’s sign ordinance. Of particular interest to City
Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission/Sign Board may be
the following:
o Advertising Panel – Large scale placard suspended from a
ceiling, applied on a wall or other architectural surface in
indoor or outdoor public places for promotional and/or
advertising purposes.
o Arcade Sign – Sign supported or suspended within a
colonnade or, underneath an awning, canopy, breezeway,
marquee, overhang or other structural element of a building
that forms a covered passageway for pedestrians.
o Animated Sign – A sign using movement or lighting changes to
depict action or create a special effect or scene, except
LED/LCD displays and/or those on visible restaurant menu
boards.
o Changeable Copy Sign – Any sign designed so copy (letters
and numbers) attached or digitally displayed can be changed.
o Changing Imagery – The process to electronically project two
or three-dimensional objects, graphics or video onto spatially
mapped surfaces of landscape settings and structures such as
buildings or other built environments. Visually dynamic, the
display, whether static or animated, is presented with audio to
create an audio-visual narrative.
o Holiday Decoration – Displays erected on a seasonal basis in
observance of religious, national or state holidays, which are
not intended to be permanent and contain no advertising
material.
Joint City Council – P&Z/Sign Board Meeting | November 4, 2019
Page 4 of 6
o Large Media Display – Large scale digital screens such as
LED, LCD and project screens where video or multimedia
content is displayed in indoor or outdoor public spaces for
informational, entertainment, artistic or advertising purposes.
o Sign, Advertising Column – A freestanding, often cylindrical
pedestrian scaled structure in the public area streetscape used
for providing information or displaying advertisements, often
incorporating static or an interactive display screen or screens.
o Sign, Gobo (Image Projection) – Projection of patterns, colors
and/or imagery via light and shadow on vertical or horizontal
surfaces.
o Sign, Inflatable - Sign constructed of a flexible material or
fabric made to assume a three-dimensional shape when
inflatable with a sufficient volume of air or a gas.
o Sign, Menu Vitrine – An accessory to display menus encased
in a wall display adjacent to the entry to a restaurant
establishment.
o Skeleton Tubing (Exposed Neon) – Neon tubing that is itself or
outlines lighting that may be supported by a panel but, is not
attached to an enclosure or sign body.
• In addition to identifying signs not defined in the City’s existing
ordinances, the RPAI proposal includes definitions for signs that
are prohibited in the adopted sign ordinance. It is not clear
whether RPAI has listed these because they want them to be
permitted by right or prohibited, or if they are simply creating an index
of sign terms in their master sign plan. Some examples of particular
interest to City Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission/Sign
Board include:
o Sign, Flashing – Illumination of which is not constant in
intensity when in use, that exhibits sudden or marked changes
in lighting effects. LED displays on restaurant menu boards
are not considered flashing signs.
o Sign, Pole – A freestanding sign that may provide
identification, directional or information, which is supported by
and placed upon, one or more poles.
o Wall Mural (Visual Art) – Any graphic or artwork painted or
applied on a wall, ceiling or other architectural surface where
its background differentiates it from the general color or
material of the wall or other surface.
o Windblown Device – Any banner, bow flag, pennant, spinner,
streamer, propeller, disc, moored blimp, gas balloon or flag
Joint City Council – P&Z/Sign Board Meeting | November 4, 2019
Page 5 of 6
(which is not of local, state, federal, corporate, nonprofit or
religious origin) 29 that is designed to inform or attract
attention, whether or not such device carries a message, all or
part of which is set in motion by wind, mechanical, electrical or
any other means.
General Staff Observations – RPAI Proposed Amendments for the
“DT” Downtown District Guidelines
This four-page proposal updates the adopted Downtown District
Guidelines (adopted in March 2003) by revising standards related to
architectural elements, lighting and signage. The section also revises a
portion of Section 33 – Supplementary District Regulations in the zoning
ordinance.
• RPAI should consider proposing an amendment to Section 37 – “DT”
Downtown District of the zoning ordinance to incorporate the desired
changes. The proposal is currently shown as a redline to Section 33
(building color standards). If the intention of RPAI is only for Town
Square, this should be outline in the zoning district regulations and
guidelines for Town Square, rather than citywide.
• The RPAI proposal introduces “frameless, fully transparent, structural
glass assemblies for ground floor storefronts of retail, service, and
food and beverage establishments.
• RPAI proposes colors used in Town Square be reviewed on a case-
by-case basis for their sensitivity to the distinctive architectural
character of Town Square by the administrative official.
• RPAI has indicated that they will provide a list of acceptable colors,
which is currently regulated by the zoning ordinance in Section 33 –
Supplementary District Regulations. RPAI has not yet provided these
colors to staff.
Next Steps: Provide staff and RPAI direction with the next steps for the proposed
master sign plan and proposed amendments to the Downtown District.
Options for moving forward:
1) Send a revised and clean proposal through the legislative process,
which would include additional staff review, a meeting of the Sign
Board/PZ, and a City Council meeting for final approval.
2) Appoint an existing group to workshop the proposal before moving
through the legislative process (possibly the Sign Board/PZ or the
Southlake 2035 Corridor Planning Committee).
3) Other direction provided by City Council and the Planning & Zoning
Commission/Sign Board.
Joint City Council – P&Z/Sign Board Meeting | November 4, 2019
Page 6 of 6
Staff
Recommendation: RPAI has brought a draft of the proposed master sign plan for Southlake
Town Square and the proposed amendments to the Downtown District
guidelines or staff review. Based upon this preliminary review staff
recommends moving forward with option 1 or 2 identified above.
Attachments: (A) Proposed Master Sign Plan and Downtown District Regulations for
Southlake Town Square
(B) Proposed Amendments for Downtown District Guidelines
(C) Sign Definition Comparisons Matrix
Staff Contact: Ken Baker – (817) 748-8067
Dennis killough (817)-748-8072
Jerod Potts – (817) 748-8195