Design Review Board approves City Light Stage parking-lot improvements, including shade structures and signage

The Downtown Design Review Board on June 12 approved a certificate of compatibility permitting permanent improvements to the City Light Stage parking lot, including two steel shelter structures, overhead fabric shade sails, a wrought-iron fence and entry portal, restriping, new lighting and a set of non-illuminated signs.

City planning staff presented the application (CC-25-14) and recommended approval with conditions; the board voted to approve option 2 — approval with staff conditions — and to allow the signage as proposed, with the understanding that any significant changes to the sign materials, illumination, size or location would be returned to the board for further review.

The improvements convert an existing 57-space city-owned parking lot on the southwest corner of Santa Fe Avenue and Ash Street into a more active, multiuse downtown space. The applicant, Catherine Kitchen of Salina 2020, said the design balances shade, event programming needs and preservation of as many parking stalls as possible. “The incentives, downtown incentives are paying for this project,” Kitchen said, referring to tax increment financing revenues being used to fund the work.

City staff told the board the largest elements are two steel shelter structures. Structure A, in the center of the lot, is proposed at 115 feet by…