Planning Commission approves Total Wine & More signage at East Bay Bridge shopping center

The Emeryville Planning Commission on March 27, 2025 approved a major sign permit allowing Total Wine & More to install multiple illuminated signs at 3938 Horton Street in the East Bay Bridge Shopping Center, voting 5-0 with Chair Wax recused.

Staff told commissioners the proposed package includes two large illuminated wall signs, three tower signs, a 27-square-foot monument sign and an up-to-90-day temporary banner, and that the application meets the city’s sign regulations and the East Bay Bridge master sign program allocations with conditions. The commission’s approval makes the permit subject to the conditions listed in the staff report, including a dimmer for illuminated signs and a 90-day limit on the temporary banner.

The permit was brought as a major sign review because the applicant proposes wall signs larger than 50 square feet and one sign mounted more than 25 feet above grade, and because tower signage in the shopping center requires Planning Commission review. Staff said Total Wine & More’s proposed aggregate sign area (about 476 square feet) is within the general-sign-area limit of 1 square foot per linear foot of building frontage (staff reported roughly 519 linear feet of frontage for the tenant space). Staff also noted the master sign program, adopted in 2015, allocates certain on-site and off-site sign plates and pergola sign locations across East Bay Bridge.

Specific sign sizes and mounting heights described by staff included a south-facing wall sign of about 180 square feet mounted about 32 feet above ground, an east elevation wall sign of about 59 square feet at roughly 20 feet above ground, and three tower signs of about 75 square feet each mounted near 56 feet above ground. The monument sign at the Horton–Mandela area would be about 27 square feet and roughly 3 feet tall; the temporary reversible banner is about 30 square feet. Off-site elements reviewed under the master sign program would include two double-sided pergola blade signs (up to 7 square feet each) and use of existing tower sign plates on Hollis and San Pablo.

Commissioners asked whether other available building walls might be used for tenant signage; Michelle Luberini, representing Golden Gate Sign and the tenant, said, "Yeah, they've maxed out their sign, so they didn't feel like it was necessary to put one there." Staff clarified remaining sign allocations and said additional tenant signage on adjacent wall faces would require coordination with the property owner and separate review.

Chair Wax recused from item 7.1 because he lives within 500 feet of the furthest extent of the sign program at 1121 Fortieth Street; Vice Chair Henry presided over the item. Commissioner Martinez moved approval, Commissioner Rivera seconded, and the roll call was Commissioners Chaffee, Martinez, Rivera, Small and Vice Chair Henry voting Aye. The motion carried.

Next steps listed by staff include the applicant finalizing any required building and electrical permits and complying with the conditions of approval (dimming control, banner time limit, and the other standard conditions in the staff report) before sign installation.