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Design review members relay resident concern about TD Bank paint; committee notes limited purview over color
Summary
Committee members reported an email from a resident criticizing TD Bank's new paint color and discussed the limits of the design review committee's authority over building color, recommending the planning commission as the venue for broader design‑code changes.
Committee members on Sept. 2 relayed concern from a resident about the newly painted TD Bank building and questioned whether the committee should have greater say over color choices in downtown storefronts. Martha Smirsky said she and another member had received an email from Paul Carnahan asserting the bank’s new paint "did not blend in with the rest of our downtown." Smirsky told the committee she was passing the comment along for awareness.
Members described the building as appearing very white in sunlit conditions and said the bank's green corporate color is highly visible; some members said the paint looked different in photos than in person. Committee members noted their current limited purview over color under the design‑review rules and suggested that interested members attend upcoming planning commission meetings if they want to pursue broader changes to zoning or design guidelines.
No formal petition, motion or vote was taken on the TD Bank paint. The discussion was recorded as member comments and a suggestion to monitor planning commission work on zoning regulations. A committee member said the planning commission is still reviewing the first section of zoning rules and that members will be informed when color or design items are scheduled for consideration.
Less‑critical details: members compared the TD Bank finish to whitewash treatments used on other city buildings and noted concerns about long‑term maintenance and how corporate signage colors interact with building paint.
