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Staff Report�q N 0� COs sAS�s COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT DATE: NOVEMBER 24, 2015 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGE MEETING DATE: 12/01/15 ITEM NO: SUBJECT: NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS (NUMU) AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FRIENDS) PERMANENT SIGNAGE A. APPROVE THE NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS SIGNAGE PROPOSAL AND THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY REQUEST TO INSTALL PERMANENT SIGNAGE TO THE INTERIOR WINGS OF 106 E. MAIN STREET AND 108 E. MAIN STREET FACING THE TOWN PLAZA DECK B. PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR THE PLACEMENT OF ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE FOR 106 E. MAIN STREET AND 108 E. MAIN STREET C. APPROVE NUMU'S LIGHT POLE BANNER DESIGN CONCEPT AND ENCOURAGE NUMU TO APPLY FOR BANNERS IN LOCATIONS THAT COMPLY WITH THE TOWN POLICY FOR THE PLACEMENT OF BANNERS ON LIGHT STANDARDS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve the New Museum Los Gatos (MUMU) signage proposal and the Friends of the Library request to install permanent signage to the interior wings of 106 E. Main Street and 108 E. Main Street facing the Town Plaza Deck. 2. Provide direction for the placement of additional signage for 106 E. Main Street and 108 E. Main Street. 3. Approve NUMU's light pole banner design concept and encourage NUMU to apply for banners in locations that comply with the Town Policy for the Placement of Banners on Light Standards in the Public Right -of -Way. BACKGROUND: On June 17 and October 14, 2013, the Town of Los Gatos entered into lease agreements with the Los Gatos Museum Association (MUMU) and the Friends of the Library (Friends) for the re -use of the former library facility located at 106 E. Main Street and 108 E. Main Street, respectively. Following structural and tenant improvements to the facilities, NUMU and the Friends bookstore celebrated their grand openings on May 28, 2015. PREPARED BY: CHRISTINA GILMOREW Assistant to the Town Manager Reviewed by: (_fi Assistant Town Manager Attorney -nA!I-Finance NAMGR\AdminWorkFiles\2015 Council Reports\December I\NUMU & FRIENDS SIGNAGE 12.01.15.doc PAGE 2 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS (MUMU) AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FRIENDS) PERMANENT SIGNAGE NOVEMBER 24, 2015 BACKGROUND (cont'd): Each lease agreement sets forth requirements for the Town Council to review and approve the placement, construction, or maintenance of signs affixed to the buildings or to the exterior premises, and requires each lessee to submit an application to the Community Development Department and pay all costs associated with any application process required to obtain approval for any signs. Staff appreciates NUMU's and Friends' needs to increase their visibility to their patrons. On September 9, 2015, following several meetings with staff in the Town Manager's Office and the Community Development Department to discuss permanent signage options, NUMU submitted an application for a sign permit to affix permanent signage to the interior and exterior wings of 108 E. Main Street and banners to twelve light poles located on the half -circle pathway of the Civic Center lawn. Town staff has met on numerous occasions with Friends Board members to discuss options for permanent signage for the interior wing of 106 E. Main Street. To date, a sign permit application has not been submitted; however, the Friends have expressed interest in obtaining approval from the Town Council for permanent signage to be affixed on the interior wing of the Friends bookstore facing the Town Plaza deck that is compatible with one of the proposed interior sign concepts submitted by NUMU and the existing signage located on the buildings within the Civic Center. The Civic Center Master Plan adopted by the Council in 2007 does not include sign or wayfinding guidelines. Staff has been unable to locate any previous recommendations or proposals for a comprehensive update to the existing signage at the Civic Center. The signs on the new Library were part of the overall project and did not receive separate approval. Therefore, the evaluation of the NUMU and Friends signage proposals are based on the context of the existing signage for Town Hall offices, the Town Code, the Commercial Design Guidelines, and other existing Policies. Another consideration is the proposed future Veterans Memorial which may be located in the redwood grove area near Pageant Way and below the NUMU patio. DISCUSSION: As mentioned above, NUMU has submitted an application for a sign permit to affix permanent signage to the interior and exterior wing walls of 108 E. Main Street and for the placement of banners on twelve light poles located on the half -circle pathway of the Civic Center lawn. The Friends are requesting Town Council review and approval for permanent signage to be affixed to the interior wing of the Friends bookstore located at 106 E. Main Street. The sign proposals are discussed in more detail below. Proposed NUMU and Friends Interior Wing Wall Signage The proposals for both NUMU and Friends are brushed aluminum letters in an Aviano Sans font to be affixed flat to the wall of the upper concrete portion of the interior wing of 106 E. Main Street and PAGE 3 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS (MUMU) AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FRIENDS) PERMANENT SIGNAGE NOVEMBER 24, 2015 DISCUSSION (cont'd) 108 E. Main Street facing the Town Plaza Deck. The proposed signage submitted by NUMU measures approximately 7 inches high by 172 inches long and names the entity occupying the premises (Attachment 1). The Friends have requested that signage for the Friends wing of the building reflect the proposed materials, font and approximate height submitted by NUMU. The proposed interior signage is compatible with the existing Times New Roman font design, color, and location of similar signs located on the buildings within the Civic Center. For the Council's reference, the tall letter for the Police and Town Hall signage facing the Plaza are eight inches high. Additionally, the length of the Town Hall sign is approximately 55 inches wide and the Police sign is approximately 33 inches wide. Staff recommends that the Town Council approve these interior facing signs. Proposed NUMU Exterior Wing Wall Signage The exterior wall proposal calls for a brushed aluminum sign with the NUMU logo to be affixed flat to the brick wall on the southeast corner of 106 E. Main Street facing Main Street (Attachment 2). The proposed signage measures approximately 41 inches wide by 93 inches long and includes both the logo and the name New Museum Los Gatos. The proposed large letters for the NUMU logo are approximately 22 inches in height while the smaller letters identifying New Museum Los Gatos are approximately 5 inches in height. The proposed sign including the logo complies with the Town Code's overall square footage requirements for sign area; however, it does not comply with the Commercial Design Guidelines relating to letter height. The Commercial Design Guidelines state that generally wall sign letter heights should not exceed 12 inches in the C-1, C-2, and LM districts. The Civic Center is in the C-1:PD zoning district. The Civic Center currently has no wall signage on the brick portions of the building. By placing a large sign at the proposed location, it may create confusion for the overall Civic Center by labeling the front facing elevation as NUMU. Staff does not recommend approval of the exterior wall signage. Instead, staff recommends that the Town Council provide specific direction for a monument sign to be placed on the Civic Center lawn to assist with overall wayfinding for NUMU, Friends, and Town offices. The Town Code allows for a monument sign in this zoning district. If so directed by Council, staff would return with alternative monument sign designs, materials, placement, and cost estimates for Council consideration. The Council may also wish to identify potential cost sharing arrangements with NUMU and Friends for a potential monument sign. Alternatively, if the Town Council is interested in exterior signage for NUMU and potentially Friends on the brick portion of the building, the Town Council should provide specific direction for: (1) PAGE 4 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS (MUMU) AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FRIENDS) PERMANENT SIGNAGE NOVEMBER 24, 2015 DISCUSSION (cont'd): placement along E. Main Street, Villa Avenue, or Pageant Way; (2) total maximum sign area; (3) maximum letter height; and (4) any other considerations such as proximity to the proposed Veterans Memorial on the Civic Center lawn. Proposed Civic Center Banners The third component of NUMU's proposal involves the installation of twelve banners on the light poles located on the half -circle pathway of the Civic Center lawn. The proposed banners measure 18 inches wide by 36 inches long and include both the logo and the name of the New Museum of Los Gatos (Attachments 3 and 4). Attachment 4 shows the locations of the light poles with a red mark for all of NUMU's proposed signage. The Town adopted a Policy in June 1994 for the Placement of Banners on Light Standards in the Public Right -of -Way for artwork or special events (Attachment 5). Parks and Public Works staff has identified locations from which banners may be hung from approximately 143 light poles ranging in banner size from 29 inches wide by 96 inches long to 30 inches wide by 60 inches long depending on location: Downtown Los Gatos (30 inches by 60 inches) • Main Street from Jackson to Santa Cruz Avenue • University Avenue at Old Town • Montebello Way • Santa Cruz Avenue from Wood Road to Highway 9 • Blossom Hill Road from University to Santa Cruz Avenue • Village Lane Other Locations (29 inches by 96 inches) • Highway 9 at N. Santa Cruz Avenue • Lark Avenue between Highway 17 and Los Gatos Boulevard Los Gatos Boulevard from Blossom Hill Road to Samaritan Drive Staff does recommend approving the proposed design concept for banners as shown in Attachment 3 and does not recommend approving any banners on the light poles along the pathway on the Civic Center lawn. Instead, staff recommends that the Council encourage NUMU to apply for banners in locations that comply with the Town Policy for the Placement of Banners on Light Standards in the Public Right -of -Way. Staff is concerned that banners along the walkway would become a dominant visual feature of the lawn area and would further reduce the visibility of Town offices and Friends. In addition, Town Policy has provisions for banners on light standards which would bring patrons from the street to the NUMU facility. PAGE 5 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS (MUMU) AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FRIENDS) PERMANENT SIGNAGE NOVEMBER 24, 2015 CONCLUSION: Based on the evaluation contained in this report to provide signage for NUMU and Friends, staff recommends that the Council: 1. Approve the New Museum Los Gatos (MUMU) signage proposal and the Friends of the Library request to install permanent signage to the interior wings of 106 E. Main Street and 108 E. Main Street facing the Town Plaza Deck. 2. Provide direction for the placement of additional signage for 106 E. Main Street and 108 E. Main Street. 3. Approve NUMU's light pole banner design concept and encourage NUMU to apply for banners in locations that comply with the Town Policy for the Placement of Banners on Light Standards in the Public Right -of -Way. ALTERNATIVES: Alternatives for the proposed signage are discussed in the main body of this report. COORDINATION: This report was coordinated between the Town Manager's Office, Community Development and Parks and Public Works Departments. FISCAL IMPACT: If the recommendations are approved, NUMU and the Friends will be responsible for costs associated with the fabrication and installation of the signage and any banners in the public right-of-way. If the Council directs staff to explore monument signage, cost estimates will be brought forward for Council consideration at a later time. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is a project as defined under CEQA but is Categorically Exempt (Section 15301: Existing Facilities). A Notice of Exemption will not be filed. Attachments: 1. Example of proposed interior wing signage for the New Museum Los Gatos 2. Example of proposed exterior wing signage for NUMU located at the southeast corner of 106 E. Main Street 3. Example of proposed light -pole banner sign located within the half -circle pathway of the Civic Center lawn 4. Proposed locations of light -pole banners at the Civic Center PAGE 6 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: NEW MUSEUM LOS GATOS (MUMU) AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY (FRIENDS) PERMANENT SIGNAGE NOVEMBER 24, 2015 5. Resolution 1994-79 of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos Adopting a Town -wide Policy Regarding the Placement of Banners on Light Standards in the Public Right -of -Way 6. Letter from Lisa Coscino, NUMU Executive Director oftawlAw J6 ! so-Lvo so Wf1 S�1W MSN 7 cis i, c / 1 9 �l E ti • u cnu . a C L' < i w cn U) LLJ ATTACHMENT 4 RESOLUTION 1994-79 RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS ADOPTING A TOWN -WIDE POLICY REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF BANNERS ON LIGHT STANDARDS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY WHEREAS, the Town is creating a banner program for placement of art and festival -type banners on Town light standards; and WHEREAS, these banners contribute to community feeling and open the streetscape in a unique way; and WHEREAS, the Town sponsors or co-sponsors a number of special events in Town that involve private or non-profit sponsors; and WHEREAS, co-sponsors of these events are willing to contribute to or supply the festival banners that would help create festival streetscapes, and legitimately desire that the banners contain attribution to the co-sponsor; and WHEREAS, this banner program will advance the Town's interests in enhancing the artistic flavor of the Town and bring coherence to various streets in the Town, NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, 1. The Policy for the Placement of Banners on Light Standards in the Public Right -of -Way contained in Exhibit A is adopted. ATTACHMENT 5 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos, California, held on the 13th day of June, 1994 by the following vote. COUNCIL MEMBERS: AYES: Joanne Benjamin, Steven Blanton, Linda Lubeck, Patrick O'Laughlin, and Mayor Randy Attaway NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SIGNED: MAYOW,QF THE TOWN OVLQS GATOS LOS GATOS, CALIFORN ATTES CLERK OF THE TOWN F LOS GATOS LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA EXHIBIT A TOWN -WIDE POLICY FOR PLACEMENT OF BANNERS ON LIGHT STANDARDS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY 1. The Town may place artwork banners on Town light standards as part of its ongoing art in public places and streetscape beautification program. 2. For an event sponsored or co-sponsored by the Town, the Town may place or allow the placement of festival banners, and these festival banners may contain the name or corporate logo of one other co-sponsor of the event under the following conditions: a. The name or logo occupies no more than 10 percent, b. The name or corporate logo is an integral part of the banner; and c. The name or corporate logo appears no more than once on each side of the banner;and d. The banner is predominantly artwork, but the name of the event stating event dates may also appear; and e. The banner will not pose a traffic or safety hazard either because of its location, color, or design; f. The name or corporate logo shall not represent a company, brand, or other person manufacturing or marketing tobacco or alcohol products. 3. The placement and design of festival banners under paragraph (2) of this policy shall be subject to approval by the Town Manager, who shall report any such approval to the Council, which may in turn reverse or otherwise modify the Manager's approval. A.Oms *banncrs.l,s EXHIBIT A N I I h Po1w:0:0 I 1 NEW MUSEUM _OS GATOS 106 E. Main Street Christina, Los Gatos, California 950S0 prospective clients and convince them to stop and see what the numubosgatos.org corresponding business has to offer. Signage is typically the only -468.354.2646 Here are a few notes about why signage in our branding that is viewable from the street is important and imperative to NUMU's success: Ex.cutivF, Direstar business is crucial. We want our sign and our business to be easily seen and Lisa V Gostin According to the U.S. Small Business Administration website, signs serve as Tom Tisch a primary link between a business and its customers. of Die+ r_tor -t4r_s - President Barney Davidge Our sign on our premise is our handshake with the public. That handshake Vice President is the first impression being made on potential customers. People judge the Rick van Hoesen quality of a business on that first impression. Secretary Mary Ellen Kaschub For the majority of businesses, the most cost-effective and efficient form of Treasurer advertising to potential clients and customers is high -visibility signage. Carter Crum Past President The needs of a local business regarding signs and signage are highly .Jeffrey Janoff, Esq, dissimilar from those of a company that has a national presence. A small Michael Parsons local business typically cannot afford expensive mass media advertising to Mary Ellen Comport present or bolster up their intended message. Our business sign will be our Bob Long key method of advertising and gaining clientele. Jan.S&fnartz It is imperative that our signage communicates an effective and branded Maureen Cappon-Javey image in order for our business to attract clientele. Au,:.t,:,; 6, un.c The primary goal of any piece of signage is to draw the attention of Jonathan Knowles prospective clients and convince them to stop and see what the John Kohler corresponding business has to offer. Signage is typically the only Mary Lucia noticeable clue that informs potential customers that a business exists and where it is located. For this reason, selecting a site for the sign for our George Rivera business is crucial. We want our sign and our business to be easily seen and Dan Springer found by any and all of our future customers. Tom Tisch Average weekly attendance at NUMU in the last 2 weeks: 362 The Los Gatos Museum Association is a 601 (c)3 non-profit organ¢atior Jur tax ID number is 94-1619601 We average 3 events or programs per week: 2 mid week and i weekend. Our events and programs bring in people from all over the Bay Area. This month alone we have had many visitors from SF, Oakland, Berkeley, ART ■ INNOVATION ■ HISTORY ■ BAY AREA ATTACHMENT 6 'i NEW MUSEUM 106 E. Main Street LOG Gates, California 95030 mmuloagatoo.org 40x.354.2646 Monterey, San Jose, Woodside, San Carlos, Palo Alto and Santa Cruz. Since June, we have had visitors from Sacramento to Los Angeles. The feedback we receive from visitors is that they cannot find our location. - zo6 East Main Street does not register on some google maps. - Most visitors that are lost stop and ask other businesses in town if they know where the Civic Center is and they don't know. - Some visitors have asked employees and have received the response that they don't even know where we are. - Visitors are frustrated and angry, huffing and puffing typically when they finally find us. - We have high senior attendance and sometimes they are in walkers and wheelchairs! Thanks Cristina. Let me know if I can provide you with any more info. Best, Lisa Coscino AR 0 INNOVATION ■ HISTORY ■ BAY AREA