Design Review Board approves Ulta sign deviation, OKs black awnings and conditions dumpster repainting

The Walton County Design Review Board approved a deviation allowing Ulta Beauty two additional building signs, accepted a scenic-corridor color deviation for black awnings as advertised, and approved the exterior modification of the Ulta outparcel with a condition requiring the existing dumpster corral be painted white to match the building.

Tim Brown, planning and development staff, summarized the applications for an Ulta Beauty outparcel at the Silver Sands Mall in District 4. "This is a senior quarter deviation application submitted by RGLA Solutions requesting approval of the deviations for 2 additional building signs," Brown said, and noted the applicant had largely followed the board’s feedback from the prior month.

Jennifer Ronenberger of GoPermit, representing Ulta and RGLA, described design changes and handed board members renderings. "My name is Jennifer Ronenberger. My company is GoPermit. I'm here on behalf of Ulta and our GLA," she said, and said the applicant had scaled back requests: "So I'm only asking for 1 deviation, which is the, you know, 2 additional signs. I'm now within the square footage and I'm now within the overall height."

Staff and board members discussed the board’s existing informal policy that some outparcel buildings have multiple signs when visible from the road, and clarified that the code otherwise limits buildings to one sign unless on a corner lot. The board noted the applicant reduced earlier requests (letter height and overall square footage) and that the color deviation for black awnings was what had been advertised; bright orange awnings were discussed but not advertised and therefore were not eligible for approval at this hearing.

The board approved agenda item 5 (sign deviation) by voice vote. It then approved item 6 (color/awning deviation) by voice vote. For agenda item 4 — the less-than-minor exterior modification — the board approved the project contingent on a condition that the existing dumpster corral be painted to match the building color (white). Members recorded "Aye" on each motion and the chair declared the motions passed.

The staff report entered into the record describes the property as 0.76 acres with a future land use of mixed use and zoning of Coastal Center mixed use; the parcel is an outparcel at Silver Sands Mall in District 4. RGLA Solutions and Ulta provided renderings showing a white building, black awnings and orange-branded signage; the board accepted the black awnings as the advertised color and authorized two additional signs under the deviation the applicant sought.