Design Review Board approves two downtown business signs

The Salina Design Review Board approved two sign permit applications for downtown businesses during its March 27 meeting, voting 2-0 on each item after one member recused from the first matter.

The approvals covered (1) a wall sign for Clark Mize and Linfield Chartered, 129 S. Eighth Street, and (2) a projecting (blade) sign for Iron Insurance Partners in the Teague Nelson Building at 100 S. Santa Fe. Both properties are within Business Improvement District No. 1, so board review was required before the city may issue sign permits.

A staff member presented the first application (item 3.1), describing the proposed wall sign as 2 feet 10 inches tall by 5 feet long, non-illuminated, white with dark blue lettering, and constructed of aluminum. The staff member said the sign “conforms with the sign size limitations in the C4 District,” will not obscure architectural features and is intended to help identify the building entrance.

Megan Schaefer, representative of Lumineo Signs, told the board the letters will be “flat cut out aluminum letters” and “they're gonna be dimensional a little bit. They'll stand about a quarter of an inch off.” A board member disclosed a conflict and recused from discussion and voting on that application because they worked as a creative on the project; the board chair confirmed the meeting still met quorum rules. The board moved to approve option 2 for item 3.1; the motion passed by a 2 to 0 vote, which the chair recorded as a majority of the quorum present.

The staff presentation for the second application (item 3.2) said the proposed projecting sign would measure roughly 4 by 3 feet, be non-illuminated and made of aluminum, with a rounded finial that staff described as a finished brass accent. The sign is planned to be placed in a similar location to the existing projecting sign for Redfern Bookstore and to be roughly centered on the building facade. Schaefer confirmed no external illumination was proposed for the projecting sign; the company may choose to add lighting later, which would be a separate decision by the tenant.

A motion to approve option 2 for item 3.2 passed by a 2 to 0 vote. For both approvals, staff advised the board’s standard condition that if there are substantive changes to sign design or materials, staff would evaluate whether to return the item to the Design Review Board for further review.

Board members present at roll call included Board Member Nelson, Board Member Katz, Board Member Herman and Vice Chair Freeland; the chair recorded a quorum at the start of the meeting. The board approved the February 27 meeting minutes earlier in the session. Staff noted there were no additional administrative items and said April meeting scheduling will depend on whether new applications are filed by the deadline.

Votes at a glance

• Item 3.1 — Wall sign for Clark Mize & Linfield Chartered, 129 S. Eighth Street: Approved (motion to approve option 2); vote recorded as 2 yes, 0 no; one board member recused from participation on this item. Sign details: 2 ft 10 in × 5 ft, non-illuminated, aluminum letters with approx. 1/4-inch relief, white background with dark blue lettering.

• Item 3.2 — Projecting sign for Iron Insurance Partners, Teague Nelson Building (100 S. Santa Fe, tenant space 104/106): Approved (motion to approve option 2); vote recorded as 2 yes, 0 no. Sign details: roughly 4 ft × 3 ft, non-illuminated, aluminum construction, rounded brass-finish finial; design intended to match neighboring projecting signs.

(All vote tallies and recusal status reflect statements recorded in the meeting transcript.)