Planning Board approves multiple sign design reviews including new freestanding and building signs

The Concord City Planning Board on July 16 approved several architectural design-review applications for new and replacement business signs, and clarified conditions about illumination, mounting and operational panels. Signarama, representing Home in Hand, won approval to replace an existing 10-square-foot freestanding sign at 15 Green Street using the existing posts, after the applicant revised on-site posts and submitted updated plans. Kendra Price of Signarama told the board that installers had adjusted the posts after the application was first reviewed; the board approved the revised plan set. Planning board member Brent Todd and others discussed whether the posts should be painted or stained; the applicant said the posts are pressure-treated and will be stained, not painted. The board approved a 90-square-foot freestanding sign for Pierce Mance at North State Street after discussion of mounting height, decorative scrollwork and an "open/closed" panel. Applicant volunteer Steve Dupree asked to keep an "open/closed" indicator and to place a sliding metal panel within the main sign panel so it would be high enough to reduce vandalism risk and avoid daily ladder use. Dupree said the sign was funded by donation. The board directed that the decorative scrollwork at the bottom be removed, that the open/closed panel be embedded in the main sign panel as a bolt-on element so it can be updated without replacing the entire sign, and that the bottom of the lowest sign element be at least 9 feet above grade. Separately, Green Bear Signs proposed a 31-square-foot internally illuminated building wall sign and a 20-square-foot projecting sign to replace existing signs at 32 North Main Street. Staff reported the applicant had told ADR it would not internally illuminate the signs; the board approved the application but added a condition that any sign later converted to internal illumination must use an opaque background. Board members also made clear that any external lighting changes would require a separate permit and review. Where applicants revised design elements, staff will review final designs to ensure they conform to the board's motion; in one case staff advised the applicant that a redesign submitted to staff would not need to return to the board unless it fell outside the motion's parameters. The approvals were granted by voice vote.