Design review board allows illuminated under‑awning sign for Biblio Files Kitchen with conditions
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Summary
The board approved a new internally illuminated under‑awning sign for Biblio Files Kitchen at 228B S. Santa Fe, with conditions limiting illumination to letters/logo and requiring return for significant changes; board debated block continuity and sign color.
The Salina Design Review Board approved a certificate of compatibility for an under‑awning sign at Biblio Files Kitchen, 228 B South Santa Fe, subject to conditions intended to limit visual impact and preserve block continuity.
Planning staff presented the application filed by Lumineo Signs and noted the proposed rectangular awning sign would be five feet by one foot (5 square feet) and hang one foot below the awning with nine feet of sidewalk clearance. Staff said fully illuminated sign cabinets are discouraged in the Downtown Salina design guidelines and recommended approval with conditions: that the sign cabinet be modified so only letters and the logo are illuminated, and that any significant changes return to staff and the board.
"The proposed sign is coordinated with the overall facade...and would conform with the C‑4 district sign regulations," planning staff told the board, but flagged that the illumination method required board discussion because under‑awning faces in downtown historically have been white with applied graphics.
A representative of the applicant said the current design was intended to match other under‑awning signs and that neighbors had been contacted; the applicant added that the color could be flipped if adjacent tenants objected.
Board members debated readability, the logo's integrity, and whether approving a white sign face would create an inconsistent precedent. Several members said a white face could improve pedestrian visibility and add ambient light under a deep awning; others emphasized following the guidelines and preserving long‑term consistency. Staff noted that findings used to justify the decision would be recorded in the minutes to guide future cases.
A motion to approve option two, with conditions preserving block continuity and limiting illumination, passed by voice vote. The board instructed staff that any significant changes to the approved sign return for further review.
Next steps: staff will require the sign cabinet be modified so only letters/logo illuminate and will check the installation for compliance with the city building permit process.
