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Design Review Board

Level 1: Sign

5-B-16-DT

This proposal includes the installation of 3 signs: projecting sign (35 sqft), wall sign (9.5 sqft), and window sign (7 sqft).

1) Projecting sign -- The projecting sign is considered one sign but has three components: 1) A lower bowling ball, 2) An upper bowling pin, and 3) Lights between that turn on sequentially upward (chasing) from the ball to the pin.

Dimensions: The sign is 14' tall from the base of the bowling ball to the top of the pin. It will project a total from 3'-2" from the building. The clearance with the sidewalk is 14'-1" (revised).

Illumination: Internal (bowling ball and pin) and exposed bulbs. The exposed bulbs are for the chasing lights between the ball and pin. Only one bulb will be "on" at a time and will stay "on" for approximately 1 second. When one light turns off the next one turns on immediately (revised). The speed of light turning on and off can be seen in the linked animation.

Material: The bowling ball and pin have plastic faces. This will allow light to penetrate the entire face. The sign cabinets will be aluminum and the framing metal, and will be painted.

2) Wall sign -- The wall sign is individual letters and characters made of metal that are non-illuminated. The sign will be flush mounted to the brick above the storefront transom using small screws that are not visible.

3) Window sign -- The window sign will be located within the large storefront window shown in the attached plans. The sign will fill approximately 14% of the window area.

Location
416 S Gay St
Applicant Request
This proposal includes the installation of 3 signs: projecting sign (35 sqft), wall sign (9.5 sqft), and window sign (7 sqft).

1) Projecting sign -- The projecting sign is considered one sign but has three components: 1) A lower bowling ball, 2) An upper bowling pin, and 3) Lights between that turn on sequentially upward (chasing) from the ball to the pin.

Dimensions: The sign is 14' tall from the base of the bowling ball to the top of the pin. It will project a total from 3'-2" from the building. The clearance with the sidewalk is 14'-1" (revised).

Illumination: Internal (bowling ball and pin) and exposed bulbs. The exposed bulbs are for the chasing lights between the ball and pin. Only one bulb will be "on" at a time and will stay "on" for approximately 1 second. When one light turns off the next one turns on immediately (revised). The speed of light turning on and off can be seen in the linked animation.

Material: The bowling ball and pin have plastic faces. This will allow light to penetrate the entire face. The sign cabinets will be aluminum and the framing metal, and will be painted.

2) Wall sign -- The wall sign is individual letters and characters made of metal that are non-illuminated. The sign will be flush mounted to the brick above the storefront transom using small screws that are not visible.

3) Window sign -- The window sign will be located within the large storefront window shown in the attached plans. The sign will fill approximately 14% of the window area.
Staff Comments
This building is located within the Gay Street Commercial National Register Historic District, so the Resources Section 1.C. (Historic Resources) of the guidelines will apply. In national register districts, the guidelines do not recommend internally illuminated signs. The board has approved internal illumination in certain situations in the past, such as when halo lighting is used or when the sign has a solid face that only allows light to pass through routed design elements like letters. The proposed sign has plastic faces on the bowling ball and pin that will allow internal light to pass through the full face. Staff is recommending that the ball and pin utilize a design with halo lighting or solid faces that allow only light to penetrate routed design elements only.

Chasing lights on signs are typically prohibited because they can be a distraction to drivers, causing a safety hazard for fast driving vehicles, and can be a nuisance to nearby residential uses. However, there is an exception that allows such illumination in the D-1 (Downtown Design Overlay) District if approved by the Downtown Design Review Board (Article 8, Section 3. - Prohibited Signs). In some parts of downtown, such as the 400 block of Gay Street where this proposal is located, vehicle traffic is slow enough that the safety hazard due to distraction are minimized. The possibility of being a nuisance to neighboring residential uses is present.

The clearance of the sign with the sidewalk is lower than most other signs of such size. Other large projecting signs on the same block of Gay Street are located fully above the storefront transom and this sign is well below the top of the transom.

In determining if the chasing lights are appropriate as proposed and in this location, the board should consider the anticipated brightness and how the speed at which the lights transition on and off relate to concerns of safety and nuisance.

The total allowed sign area (excluding the window sign) allowed for this business is based the requirements of the sign ordinance, which is 45 square feet in this case. The total sign area proposed for the projecting sign and wall sign is 44.5 square feet.

Applicable guidelines:
C. HISTORIC RESOURCES
Section 1.C.7. (RECOMMENDED SIGNS)
Commercial establishments need to advertise. However, advertising signs should be effective and appropriate to historic areas without contributing to visual clutter. Primary concerns are a sign's location, size, material, and illumination.
GUIDELINES:
7a. Locate signs above storefront windows, below second-story windows on the sign board, or on the storefront windows themselves (30% is maximum coverage), or off the front of the building as a projecting sign (maximum size: 9 square feet).
7b. Create signs that are proportional to the building where they are located.
7c. Do not light signs internally.
7d. Allow painted signs on building walls in the warehouse area along Jackson Avenue, and in some other locations along Gay Street.
7e. Preserve signs that are historic elements of buildings.

Section 2.B. THE TRADITIONAL GRID DISTRICT
The Traditional Grid District is formed from the historic Plan of the City of Knoxville. The block pattern was established in part due to the location of the City within the confines of First and Second Creeks and the Holston River, later known as the Tennessee River. These blocks were typically about 300 feet by 300 feet. This area has predominately retained this typical block size. Another pertinent consideration of this grid pattern is the narrowness of the street rights-of-way. This reduced width tends to affect the public realm by minimizing the widths of sidewalks in order to maintain building fronts and travel lane widths. However, the small block size and narrow streets that calm traffic are also what makes downtown Knoxville feel so walkable to pedestrians.
Section 2.B.1. (RECOMMENDED SIGNS)
These recommendations for signs in the traditional grid district recognize that certain types of signs are more pedestrian-friendly and should be encouraged within the grid district.
GUIDELINES:
1a. Wall signs on sign boards that are above a transom or first story and mounted flush to the building façade.
1b. Projecting signs of modest size (9 square feet, maximum); a larger sign must be approved by the board.
1c. Window signs, less than 30 percent coverage, including neon signs.
Applicant

Jones / Signco, Inc.

Planning Staff
Mike Reynolds
Phone: 865-215-3827
Email: mike.reynolds@knoxplanning.org
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Case History