Planning commissioners approve replacement monument sign at Chase with landscaping conditions

The Hinsdale Planning Commission on March 12 approved a permit to replace a monument sign at the Chase Bank site at 400 Eastog Avenue, subject to landscaping conditions requiring evergreen plantings and use of brown mulch.

Representatives from Olympic Sign described the replacement as a smaller, internally lit LED monument sign with a full skirt to conceal support steel. Guy Dragasic of Olympic Sign said the new sign would illuminate only the Chase copy and the blue logo and would include a dimmer to reduce brightness. "It's gonna be internal LED. The only part of the sign it's gonna illuminate is the chase copy itself and the blue logo," Dragasic said.

Commissioners complimented the modernized appearance and requested four-season landscaping around the base, including small evergreens, and that brown mulch be used rather than the red-dyed mulch sometimes seen in similarly landscaped beds. The motion to approve the case ADash13Dash2025 included the request that some evergreens be added to the planting plan and that brown mulch be used; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

Commissioners discussed sign height and lighting. The sign presenters said the existing sign was about 6 feet high and the proposed sign is approximately 6 feet 2 inches, and that Chase would rework landscape beds around the sign after installation.

The approval language specified the landscaping request but did not restrict other aspects of the sign design, which was described to commissioners as smaller and less visually obtrusive than the existing sign. The recorded vote was Commissioner Curry ' Aye; Commissioner Krellenberger ' Aye; Commissioner Cernovich ' Aye; Commissioner Willoughby ' Aye; Chairman Cashman ' Aye.