HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-150-96THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
DN: CINEPLEX.GPA
REPORT
Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File # o- 3)d `
Date: Monday, November 4, 1996 Res. #(7"-5 _q
Report #: PD- 150 -96 File #: DEV 95 -064 By -law # 1
Subject: REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM
CINEPLEX ODEON
FILE • 0.4
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration
Committee recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report PD- 150 -96 be received;
2. THAT the Committee select one of the following recommendations:
a) THAT the application as submitted by Steel Art Signs on behalf of Cineplex
Odeon be approved by Committee and that staff prepare an amending by-
law to the Sign By -Law 76 -25 for Council's adoption; or,
b) THAT the application as submitted by Steel Art Signs on behalf of Cineplex
Odeon be refused and that the sign to be erected on the property shall
comply with the relevant provisions of Sign By -Law 76 -25; or,
c) THAT the application submitted by Steel Art Signs on behalf of Cineplex
Odeon be approved in part by permitting a 50 square foot increase in sign
area and that staff prepare an amending by -law to the Sign By -Law 76 -25
for Council's adoption.
1,11:4091 all
1. By letter dated October 22, 1996, Steel Art Signs Limited on behalf of Cineplex
Corporation requested the Municipality to grant an exemption to the Sign By -Law
to permit a pylon sign on the north side of Highway 2 advertising the Cineplex
Odeon theatres. The letter stresses that the sign needs to be erected for the
opening of the theatres on December 1 st, 1996.
639
REPORT NO. PD-150-96 PAGEPA
2. The applicant's letter detailing the reasons for the exemption is attached to the
report (See Attachment #1). The increased area is required to display the
"Cineplex" logo as well as provide a readograph listing of all the movies being
shown. No additional signs for the restaurants will be added to this sign. The
increased height is required to maintain sufficient space between the bottom of
the readograph and the finished grade.
3. The sign proposed by the applicant has a signage area of 172.3 square feet and
a height of 25 feet. The amendment is requesting an increase in signage area of
72.3 square feet or 72.3% and an increase in height of 5 feet or 25 %. The sign
area includes only the area of the text and logo.
The proposed sign is classified as a group identification sign within the Sign By-
Law. The by -law permits a maximum signage area of 40 square feet or 0.1% of
the lot area, whichever is greater provided that in no case shall any sign exceed
100 square feet in area. The maximum height permitted is 20 feet.
4. Attachment #2 provides a drawing of the proposed sign. The sign would be
constructed of clear anodized aluminum on a concrete base. The "Cineplex" logo
is routed into the sign face at the top of the sign. A readograph below the logo
will provide a listing of movies currently showing. The movie titles will consist of
10 inch letters that will be manually place into the lines.
5. Attachment #3 provides a comparison of the height between the sign and the
proposed East Side Mario's restaurant. The sign will be approximately 5 to 6 feet
higher than the proposed south and east elevations of the restaurant. This will
depend on the final grading and building treatment chosen for the restaurant.
Staff would indicate that the scale of the sign does not match that of the
proposed building.
SM
REPORT
6. There are a number of theatres both in Bowmanville and the neighbouring
municipalities. The following discussion provides Committee with information on
the types of signage found at each location.
The theatres at the Bowmanville Mall have small sections incorporated into
both mall signs indicating the titles of movies being shown with 4 inch high
readograph letters. These signs are located along King Street at Simpson
Avenue and at the eastern mall entrance.
The Famous Player theatres at the Oshawa Centre have a large pylon sign
displaying the movie titles internal to the site in the parking lot on the east
side of the building. No information on signage area and height for this
pylon sign was available from the City. No large theatre signage is located
along Stephenson Road or King Street. There is some wall signage for the
theatre facing Stephenson Road.
• The Cineplex Theatre located on Thickson Road near Highway 401 in
Whitby only have wall signage facing Thickson Road. There is no pylon
sign for theatre advertising along a road frontage.
7. The location of the proposed sign complies with the site plan agreement for the
development. While staff believe there are some merits to the application, staff
are also concerned that such a tall, oversized sign will have detrimental impacts
on the streetscape and urban design objectives. Accordingly the following
options are provided for Committee's consideration.
Option #1
Committee has the option of approving the sign as proposed. The sign
would be 5 feet higher and 72.3 square feet larger than currently permitted.
In choosing this option, Committee is respecting the corporate image of Cineplex
and its advertising needs for a multiple theatres. Committee must however realize
i�
271EPORT NO. .6
that a precedent will be set whereby other developments in the West Main Central
Area and throughout Clarington may seek larger signs. The sign is also very
large relative to the adjacent restaurant and may look out -of- scale. The thrust of
the by -law is to avoid roads bordered by a "sea" of large signs.
•
Committee could refuse the application.
The sign erected by Cineplex would therefore have to meet the requirements of
the Sign By -Law. In doing such, Committee is sending a message that large
amendments to the Sign By -Law will not be approved and that streetscape and
urban design issues in the West Main Central Area as contemplated in the Official
Plan, is an important asset. The Municipality, however, may be viewed as
inflexible.
Option #3
Committee could recognize a compromise whereby the sign could be limited
to a maximum height of 20 feet and the sign area could be limited to a 50%
increase or 150 sq. ft.
This would recognize that the theatre has special advertising needs which
necessitates an increase in the sign area but still respects the height limits of the
by -law. It still would have an impact on the streetscape. The decrease in sign
area would result in a reduction of letter size on the readograph from 10 inches
to 8 inches. It is noted that this would be double the size of the 4 inch high
readograph letters for the Bowmanville Mall theatres.
8. Should Committee recommend either Option # 1 or # 3, staff will draft the
amending by -law and have it ready for Council's adoption on November 11, 1996.
642
REPORT NO, PD- 150 -96 PAGE 5
Respectfully submitted,
RH *FW *cc
Attachment #1 -
Attachment #2 -
Attachment #3 -
October 24, 1996
Letter dated October 22,
Proposed Sign
Reviewed by,
W. H. S ockwell
Chief Administrative
Officer
1996 from Steel Art Signs
Relationship between Proposed Sign and Proposed East Side
Mario's Restaurant
Interested parties to be notified of Council and Committee's decision:
Steel Art Signs Limited
37 Esna Park Drive
Markham, Ontario
L3R 1 C9
Attn: Mr. Just Cole
Willsonia Industries Limited
140 Bond Street West
P.O. Box 488
Oshawa, Ont. L1 H 71-8
Attn: Mr. Glenn Willson
signs
October 22, 1996
Mr. Franklin Wuu
Director of Planning and Development
Municipality of Clarington
40 Temperance St
Bowmanville, On
L1C 3A6
Re; Cineplex Odeon, Clarington Place, Bowmanville
Dear Mr. Wuu,
ATTACHMENT No. 1
Steel Art Signs Ltd.
37 Esna Park Drive
Markham, Ont. L3R 1C9
(905) 474 -1678
Fax(905)474 -0515
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We wish to apply for a sign variance to permit the installation of a pylon sign for the New Cineplex
Odeon opening at Clarington Place on Dec 1st 1996.
The proposed pylon sign has been designed with two key elements. The main header panel identifying
the theatre, and the readograph portion to identify the listing of movies showing.
The proposed sign area and height have been designed to accommodate both key elements. The sign area
reflects the need to have sufficient sign area to be able to list all of the movies showing at all of the
theatres. The sign height reflects the need to maintain sufficient space between the bottom of the
readograph and the grade. The header panel has been designed so that the name of the cinemas is
proportionately scaled to the size of the readograph.
In technical terms, the proposed sign area exceeds the sign bylaw maximum of 100 sq.ft by 72. 25 sq.ft.
This represents an increase of 72.25% over the sign bylaw ( about 1.72 times over).
The proposed sign height exceeds the sign bylaw maximum of 20' by 5'. This represents an increase of
25% over the sign bylaw (about 1.25 times over).
We believe that the proposed sign is appropriate for the scale of the theatre development, and will
compliment the over all development in shape and form. Each of the key elements have been considered
for function and form. We believe therefore that the proposal represents the best in design elements
possible for this location.
Thank you for your time and effort to date.
Sincerely,
STEEL ART SIGNS LTD .
Just Cole
Permits
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14' -0'
101 -0'
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ATTACHMENT No. 2
CLEAR ANODIZED ALUMINUM CONSTRUCTION
LOGO • ROUTED OUT & BACKED UP WITH ACRYLIC WITH SCOTCHPRINT GRAPHICS APPLIED TO FACE
'CINEPLEX ODEON CINEMAS'- ROUTED OUT & BACKED UP WITH PLASTIC • OM FILM TO MATCH PMS6266 PURPLE APPLIED TO FACES
READOGRAPH SECTION WHITE ACRYLIC BACKGROUND 12 LINES OF 6' & 4' ZIP LETTERS, BLACK THIN VINYL SEPERATING LINES
BLACK VINYL NUMBERS APPLIED TO FACE
CONCRETE BASE BY S.A.
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