2023-6-14 Design Review Board meeting minutes Beverly Design Review Board Meeting Minutes
June 14,2023
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CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION: City of Beverly Design Review Board
DATE: June 14, 2023
LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot Street, 3rd Floor,
Conference Room A
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Jon Ouellette, Vice-Chair Rachel Poor, Caroline
Mason, Ellen Flannery, Pam Gougian (arrived at 6:41)
MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Director of Planning and Development Darlene Wynne
RECORDER: Naomi Moca
Chair Ouellette calls the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
1. Applications:
a. Saxton Sign Corp., Deb Guarasce, 1320 Route 9, Castleton NY 12033. Sign: Sunoco, 3
Dodge Street.
James Callahan of Saxton Sign is present and states that the applicant is seeking approval to re-
image the Sunoco brand name on the sign at the Dodge Street location, as part of Sunoco's
upgrading and re-branding of all stations using a"Centennial" style. The front elevation will
have the Sunoco wordmark and arrow, the left elevation will have the Sunoco diamond branding
with a small light blue graphic behind it, and the rear and right elevations will be white and light
blue with no graphics. Callahan presents the Sunoco letter sizing and the dimensions of the
Sunoco imaging.
Callahan states that re-branding of the existing dispensers with the Sunoco logo on the top and
the Ultratech logo on the door is included in the proposal. He adds that the pylon sign, posts, and
light stands will be repainted, with replacement signage. The signs will not change in size.
Callahan states that the existing Sunoco badge will be replaced and that LED red price signs that
do not flash back and forth between"cash" and"credit". The store panel will be at the bottom.
6:41 p.m. Gougian arrives.
The Board discusses that the portion of the pylon sign that is illuminated is the word Sunoco and
that the background does not light up. Callahan clarifies that on the pylon sign, the top panel will
be backlit using internal illumination. The regular cash/regular credit price sign has a blue
background that will be opaque at night. The main panel for the store will light up as well.
Callahan states that the sign canopy's primary side will be switched from right to left side in
order to be visible from Route 128 and Dodge Street. The Board discusses that the sign sizes on
today's application are the final sizes, that the signs are being replaced but the height and size of
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Beverly Design Review Board Meeting Minutes
June 14,2023
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all of them will remain the same, and that the signs are being rotated and given a cleaner
appearance.
The Board discusses that it is in the Zoning Board's purview to determine if a special permit is
needed, in the case of the existing signs being a part of an existing special permit.
Ouellette: Motion to approve Saxton Sign's application for Sunoco at 3 Dodge Street
Beverly as presented. Seconded by Poor. Motion carries (6-0).
b. Beverly G LLC,Mark Audette, 14 First Street, Salisbury, MA 01952. Sign: Giuseppe's
Italian Family Restaurant, 27 Enon Street.
Tom Alexander of Alexander and Femino, Mark Audette and Robert Hartley of Giuseppe's
Italian Family Restaurant, and Brian Monahan of Scout Sign Works are present. Alexander states
that the application is for signs at the old Bertucci's site and that the liquor license is in the
process of being transferred from Bertucci's to Giuseppe's. The application is to replace the
existing signs in the same location within the site with signs that are either the same in size or
smaller. Alexander clarifies that the site is in a CG district, and thus this application complies
with the ordinance stating that if a sign is located more than 40 feet from the lot line, a sign may
be 60 square feet or two times the length of the building, whichever is lesser. The proposed sign
is 54 square feet.
Alexander states that since the Bertucci's sign is 30 years old, the new signs will be an
improvement. The Board discusses that the signs are not illuminated, the history of the site, that
the smaller print on the sign may not be fully visible. They clarify that the smaller, secondary
sign designates a different section of the restaurant, and the idea of possibly making the lettering
bolder.
Mason: Motion to approve the sign as presented with non-illuminated signs. Poor
seconds. Motion carries (5-0).
c. Lorenzo Tenreiro, 275 Cabot Street, Beverly,MA 01915. Sign: La Qchara
Lorenzo Tenreiro of Tenreiro Restaurant Group presents the design and states that the location
brings a lot of attention and that he desires to bring vibrancy to the area. The restaurant will be
replacing the existing restaurant. The "City Eats"mural sign on the rear facade of the building
will be covered. Tenreiro states that the sign color is brighter than the City Eats sign, and the
restaurant will not have signs on or in the windows. The Board clarifies that signs such as hours
of operation on the door require a separate application.
The Board discusses that there will be two signs, both facades facing Cabot Street, that will be
externally illuminated with lights on both sides. They are 96 inches by 28 inches, with the spoon
accent being 34 inches. They will be mounted on the corrugated roofing and Tenreiro states that
he plans to use lighting attached to the sign, and has discussed it with an electrician. The Board
clarifies that the light will be attached to the sign and not to the building. Tenreiro agrees to send
specs on the lighting.
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The Board discusses that the spoon accent is flat and flush with the rest of the sign and that the
lighting along the bottom of the sign will not interfere with the spoon accent. The Board
discusses that the permitted square footage of the perimeter of the sign does not include the
illumination and thus the dimensions of the sign are in compliance.
The Board discusses the possibility of a new mural being painted on the third exterior wall. The
Board advises Tenreiro that in order to install a second sign,it will be necessary to apply for a
special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and a special permit is also required for
making the second sign as big as the first sign.
Ouellette: Motion to approve one (1) sign for LQchara at 275 Cabot Street at a
maximum of 20 square feet, subject to the following conditions: (1)that the
lighting specifications, including mechanisms for attachment to the sign, are
provided to the Planning Department for additional and final review; and(2)
the second sign will also be a maximum of 20 square feet and require a
Special Permit as a second sign, and the DRB recommends that the Zoning
Board of Appeals approve the second sign. Flannery seconds. Motion carries
(5-0).
The Board advises Tenreiro on the next steps in the process.
d. Renee Alexis Marchand, 39 Beaver Street, Salem,MA 01970. Sign: Barber Shop Beard
and Mane, 116 Rantoul Street, #102.
Renee Marchand of Beard and Mane is present and states that she just purchased the business
and today was the shop's first day open for business. She is replacing the existing projecting sign
with a new sign, using the same fixtures to attach it to the building. The Board discusses that the
existing sign is aluminum laminate and there is no illumination and there will be no changes in
that regard. Marchand states that she is licensed as a hairdresser, esthetician, barber, and massage
therapist.
Flannery: Motion to approve the sign as presented. Ouellette seconds. Motion carries
(5-0).
2. New Business
a. Draft meeting minutes
i. April 18,2023
The members review and offer edits to the April 18, 2023 draft meeting minutes.
ii. May 4,2023
There are no changes to the May 4, 2023 draft meeting minutes.
3. Other business
Wynne states that she submitted a grant application to hire a consultant to update the City's Sign
Ordinance.
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The Board discusses the grandfathering of special permits, what qualifies as a sign versus a
sticker versus a mural, the use of different media in sign design, educating the public about
placing stickers on business windows,the enforceability of sign ordinances, the expiration of the
enforcement waiver for sandwich board signs, the sign design consistency of other cities such as
Ipswich, the possibility of conducting a study of the signs in Beverly, and how signs may
contribute to a city being a walkable city.
4. Adjourn
Gougian: Motion to adjourn. Poor seconds. Motion carries unopposed.
Meeting adjourns at 7:43 p.m.
The next meeting will be Thursday,July 13,2023 at 6:30 p.m.
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