Land Use Commission approves Northwesterns Ryan Stadium unified sign plan with lighting conditions

The Evanston Land Use Commission on April 9 approved a unified sign plan for Northwestern Universitys Ryan Stadium at 1501 Central Street, voting 5-0 and attaching a condition that the university coordinate a dimming schedule with the city and explore solar options for the signs.

The commissions action covers permitted sign types, placement and total square footage across facades, and limited illumination for the stadium complex. Commissioners voted in favor after applicant presenters described sign locations, materials and lighting types and after commissioners raised questions about nighttime illumination and emergency lighting.

The applicants presentation said most signs around the facility will be non-illuminated and that two primary illuminated signs would use halo (backlit) or face-lit designs. An applicant representative said the illuminated signs "are programmable, dimmable 7 days a week, 24 hours a day" and that programming and schedule details would be worked out with the city and university.

Yvette Fevely, principal of the Branded Environments team at Perkins and Will, and Chris Hale, principal with Perkins and Will, were part of the applicant team. Hale said site and plaza lighting "would be designed to provide illumination in the event of an emergency." The applicant also confirmed none of the proposed exterior signs are backed up by emergency power and that the signs are low-voltage LED fixtures.

Commissioner Beaudoin urged the commission to require a formal city-university plan for when lights will be on or off and to examine renewable-energy options for powering signs. A commissioner moved to approve the plan "contingent on talking with the city about dimming plan plans with the lights, including solar panels and things like that." The motion was seconded and passed on a roll call: Commissioners Berlin, Rabote, Mangum, ModenChev and Chair Lindwall cast yes votes.

The commission made its approval under the standards for unified sign plans and found the proposed signs are proportional to the stadium scale, are integrated with the building materials (including engraved stone and pedestrian-scale freestanding signs), minimize color use, and limit illuminated elements to reduce impacts on surrounding properties.

During discussion commissioners asked for clarity on which signs are halo-lit versus face-lit, whether illumination would occur nightly or be scheduled for events, and whether photovoltaic options had been considered. The applicant said solar options could be investigated further for the signage and that dimming/timing and coordination with the city would be part of follow-up work.

The commission closed the hearing after the vote. The approval allows Northwestern to install the signs as shown in the unified sign plan subject to the stated coordination on scheduling and further study of photovoltaic possibilities.