Item 4 - Exhibit 05 - Letter of Justification, received June 26, 20204-7-2020
City of Los Gatos
Planning Commission
110 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
ATTN: Community Development Department
RE: Letter of Justification for a Variance from the Town Code and an Exception to Commercial Design
Guidelines for 50 University Ave. #B260, for wall sign area and letter height.
To Whom It May Concern,
This Letter of Justification is respectfully submitted for your consideration , in the installation of the proposed wall signage for
Sephora at 50 University Ave, Suite B260.
A variance is requested from the Town Code Section 29.10.135 (c)(2) to exceed the maximum allowable sign area. This code
section states, “Allowed sign area is (1) square foot for each lineal foot of primary business frontage plus one -half square foot
for each lineal foot of secondary business frontage.” The maximum allowable sign area is 51’8” The proposed sign area is
72.82 square feet included a 70.82 square foot wall sign and 2.62 square foot in awning letters. A special exception is
requested from the Commercial Design Guidelines Chapter 6.2.5, Maximum Letter height to allow the pro posed signage to
exceed the maximum allowed letter height. The Commercial Design Guidelines Chapter 6.2.5 require a maximum 12” letter
height in the C-2 district is allowed where the proposed letter height is 2’ 6” (30 inches).
Including the city’s mandated 6” border around the copy of the proposed sign, this signage is proposed at an overall length of
20’ 0 11/16” with an overall letter height of 3’6” and an overall square footage of 70.2 square feet. The business frontage
measures 51’8”, which would permit 51’8” square feet for allowable sign area. The actual square footage of the sign is 47.64
square feet; however, the required 6” border, per the Commercial Design Guidelines, around the sign copy added an
additional 22.56 square feet of counted sign area, which cause the proposed signage to exceed the allowed square footage
prescribed by code.
This building is set back from University Boulevard approximately 1 88 feet and proposes a unique challenge for visibility due
to the multitude of mature trees and shopping center signage that blocks clear view from the roadway. The trees are fully
grown and the foliage is full and blocks the visibility of any signage for this site. In addition, there is a shopping center sign
that sits at the roadway in front of the tenant space the Sephora is occupying that prevents visibility of signage for drivers on
University Boulevard.
This tenant space is unique from the other tenant spaces as it is a larger tenant space and has a pitched roof over the
entryway that most of the other tenants do not have. This design feature provides a unique opportunity to showcase a well -
designed sign that is in proportion to the open space that the pitched roof provides. The larger sign is visually more aesthe tic
than a smaller sign would be and fits the overall scale of the building face and pitched roof design. A smaller sign would look
out of place amongst the large pitched roof space over the entryway.
Standard 12” letters would not be able to be seen from vehicular traffic passing along University Boulevard because of these
two factors, which would prevent Sephora from being able to adequately identify their business location to vehicular traffic.
One of the purposes of signage is to be able to help travelers quickly identify the location of stores as they travel so as to
prevent traffic incidents. In this case, it would be difficult for a traveler to identify Sephora’s location with the require d 12”
letter height as the sign would not be easily visible from the roadway. Sephora’s proposed larger letter height of 2’6” would
provide a sign that is more easily visible through the foliage of the trees and existing shopping center sign.
EXHIBIT 5
There are other businesses in the area, both in the shopping center and in surrounding shopping centers that have signage
that appears to exceed these same allowances. Photographs have been provided as reference. The granting of this variance
for Sephora’s signage would not grant special privileges that other surrounding properties do not also enj oy. Instead, it would
allow Sephora to be able to adequately identify their business to vehicular and pedestrian traffic traveling along University
Boulevard where the strict application of the code would inhibit this ability and deprive Sephora of the abi lity to advertise
their business to this pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
With your approval of the additional letter height and sign area, the signage would be able to provide vehicular traffic the
opportunity to more quickly and safely identify Sephora’s location in order to be able to safely arrive at the destination
without causing traffic delays or cause additional risks for vehicular traffic. The signage is still tasteful and aesthetically
pleasing at the proposed letter height and will not detract from the overall look of the building, but rather enhance the
purpose of the shopping center by allowing Sephora to be able to adequately advertise their business while maintaining a
visibly pleasing exterior appearance that other businesses in the shopping center and nearby shopping centers enjoy.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Peter Liu
SR Store Design Manager
Sephora USA