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Planning commission approves Shell station sign and facade updates at 9 Arrenda/Arundel Way
Summary
The Planning Commission unanimously approved design review and sign permits for the Shell service station (DRA2025-007; SIP2025-002) including repainting the canopy fascia (option 2: white), two canopy logo signs, two wall signs with new branding, refaced freestanding price signs with LED displays, and updated pump signage and decals.
The Orinda Planning Commission unanimously approved design review and a sign permit for the Shell service station at 9 Arrenda/Arundel Way on July 8, 2025 (DRA2025-007; SIP2025-002). The decision authorizes canopy logo signs, two wall signs on the convenience store/service building, two refaced freestanding monument signs with internally illuminated digital price displays, pump signage updates, and exterior painting with staff'recommended option 2 (white canopy fascia).
Associate Planner Darren Hughes presented the application and described the project elements: repainting the canopy fascia (two color options, staff recommended the less-vibrant white option 2), repainting the upper facade of the mini market/service building (cedar-brown option shown in staff renderings), installing two internally illuminated Shell canopy logo signs (each proposed at about 5.43 square feet), two internally illuminated channel-letter wall signs for the branded convenience store (approx. 16.5 square feet each), refacing two freestanding monument price signs (measured at roughly 16.63 and 17 square feet in the staff report; Orinda's maximum for such freestanding signs is typically 20 square feet), and modest changes to pump valence signage (approx. 9.44 square feet measured).
Staff said the monument signs are existing structures to be refaced, not rebuilt; the city's sign code technically discourages internal illumination in the downtown but does not prohibit it, and staff cited precedent (a 2019 76 station upgrade) and the station's location on a major thoroughfare (Camino Pablo) where internal illumination was judged appropriate. The project plans note LED displays for prices and a proposed nighttime panel brightness up to about 950 nits; staff recommended conditions of approval and an interpretation that the canopy-mounted logos function as wall signs for code calculations.
No members of the public signed up to speak. The applicant representative was present and made themselves available for questions. Commissioners thanked staff for a detailed presentation, opened the matter for deliberation, and a motion to adopt the draft statement of official action passed unanimously; the commission read appeal rights (10 calendar days to appeal to City Council) and cited Code of Civil Procedure section 1094.6 for those considering judicial review.
What the approval includes: DRA2025-007 and SIP2025-002 approvals for two canopy logo signs, two wall signs, two freestanding signs (refaced), pump signage updates, and exterior painting with option 2 (white canopy fascia). The project will proceed subject to the conditions of approval listed in the staff report and is subject to the normal 10-calendar-day appeal period.
