HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/17/20091,4~
City of
]~q~Wh6atRi:dge
PLANNING COMMISSION
AGENDA
September 17, 2009
Notice is hereby given of a Public Meeting to be held before the City of Wheat Ridge Planning
Commission on September 17, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal
Building, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City
of Wheat Ridge. Call Heather Geyer, Public Information Officer at 303-235-2826 at least one week in
advance of a meeting if you are interested in participating and need inclusion assistance.
1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA (Items of new and old business may be
recommended for placement on the agenda.)
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - September 3, 2009
6. PUBLIC FORUM (This is the time for any person to speak on any subject not
appearing on the agenda. Public comments may be limited to 3 minutes.)
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Case No. WZ-09-05: An application filed by Exempla Lutheran for approval of a
master sign plan with a variance to allow Planning Commission to exceed the 50
percent increase for sign size, number and location pursuant to Section 26-708.E.2 of
the Zoning & Development Code for property zoned Planned Hospital Development
(PHD) and located at 8300 W. 38th Avenue.
8. NEW BUSINESS
9. OTHER ITEMS
10. ADJOURNMENT
City of
W PLANNING COMMISSION
Minutes of Meeting
September 3, 2009
1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair REINHART at 7:00 p.m. in the City
Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 7500 West 29"' Avenue, Wheat
Ridge, Colorado.
2. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
. , gf<
N-6. s
Commission Members Present:
Jim Chilvers
Marc Dietrick
John Dwyer
Henry Hollende
Dick Matthews
Davis Reinhart
Steve Timms
Commission Members Absent:
Anne Brinkman
Staff Members Present: Adam Tietz, Planner I
Ann Lazzeri, Recording Secretary
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS and seconded by
Commissioner DWYER to approve the order of the agenda. The motion
carried 7-0.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - August 20, 2009
It was moved by Commissioner MATTHEWS and seconded by
Commissioner CHILVERS to approve the minutes of August 20, 2009 as
presented. The motion passed 6-0 with Commissioners DIETRICK
abstaining.
Planning Commission Minutes 1 September 3, 2009
6. PUBLIC FORUM (This is the time for any person to speak on any subject not
appearing on the agenda.)
There was no one present to address the Commission.
7. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Case No. MS-09-02: An application filed by 3885 Upham Properties,
LLC, for approval of a 2-lot minor subdivision plat with dedications for
property zoned Restricted Commercial and located at 3885 Upham Street.
The case was presented by Adam Tietz. He entered all pertinent documents into
the record and advised the Commission there was jurisdiction to hear the case.
He reviewed the staff report and digital presentation. Staff concluded that all
requirements in an RC zone district have been met and recommended approval of
the application.
Commissioners REINHART and MA
both know the applicant and have woi
however, neither believed it was nece
and both stated they could act imparti.
In response to a question from Comm
portions of Upham Street are dedicate
this application would adjoin existing
REINHART suggested adding a cond
to public right-of-wav.
FTHEWS stated for the record that they
ked with him on Wheat Ridge 2020;
,sary to be recused from hearing the case
ier REINHART, Mr. Tietz stated that
1 the right-of-way being dedicated with
-of-way to the east. Commissioner
to the plat verifying that there is access
Ripp
, representing the applicant, was sworn in by Chair REINHART. He
~t he had nothing to add to the staff presentation but would answer any
, from the Commission.
In response to a question from Commissioner REINHART concerning public
right-of-way, Mr. Ripp stated he believed there was legal access from the lot to
public right-of-way because the applicant has been driving on the subject access
road for many, many years which could establish right-or-way. He stated that he
had no objection to verifying the legal access and adding an appropriate note to
the plat.
Commissioner CHILVERS asked if the applicant's intent is to sell the property.
Mr. Ripp stated that the applicant sold the property to a third party who will
convey the property back to the applicant if the subdivision plat is approved.
Planning Commission Minutes 2 September 3, 2009
There were no members of the public who wished to address the Commission at
this time. Chair REINHART closed the public hearing.
It was moved by Commissioner HOLLENDER and seconded by
Commissioner MATTHEWS to approve Case No. MS-09-02, a request for
approval of a two-lot minor subdivision plat for property at 3885 Upham
Street for the following reasons:
1. All development standards of the RC zone district have been met.
2. All requirements of the Subdivision Regulations have been met.
3. All required utility easements are being provided.
4. 25 feet of right-of-way is dedicated by this plat to the City of Wheat
Ridge in order to meet the standard for a local street width.
With the following condition:
That a legal determination be made to show that there is legal access to
public right-of-way and that the appropriate note be added to the plat.
The motion carried 7-0 with Commissioner BRINKMAN absent.
8. NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business to come before the Commission.
9. OTHER ITEMS
Chair REINHART reminded Commissioners about the joint study session with
City Council on Monday, September 21, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
10.
It was moved by Commissioner CHILVERS and seconded by Commissioner
DIETRICK to adjourn the meeting 7:26 p.m. The motion carried 7-0.
Davis Reinhart, Chair Ann Lazzeri, Secretary
Planning Commission Minutes 3 September 3, 2009
City of
W heat idge
MUNI"iY DEvtmi.oPMt.N-I
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE
PLANNING DIVISION STAFF REPORT
TO: Planning Commission CASE MANAGER: Meredith Reckert
CASE NO. & NAME: WZ-09-05/Exempla Lutheran
DATE: September 17, 2009
ACTION REQUESTED: Approval of a master sign plan with variances
LOCATION OF REQUEST: 8300 W. 38`x' Avenue
APPLICANT (S): Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
OWNER (S): Same
APPROXIMATE AREA: 96.2 acres
PRESENT ZONING
Planned Hospital District (PHD)
ENTER INTO RECORD:
(X) CASE FILE & PACKET MATERIALS
(X) ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CODE
(X) DIGITAL PRESENTATION
See attached aerial photo designated as Exhibit 1
Case No. W7-09-051Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
September 17, 2009 Plannin« Commission
JURISDICTION:
All notification and posting requirements have been met; therefore, there is jurisdiction to
hear this case.
1. REQUEST
The applicant is requesting approval of a Master Sign Plan to address internal directory
signage within the hospital campus. A variance is required to allow Planning
Commission to exceed the 50% increase in the number, size and locations of the
proposed signage. Section 26-708.E. of the Zoning and Development Code (below)
establishes the procedure for Master Sign Plan approval by the Planning Commission.
E. Master- sign plan.
1. The planning commission may approve a master sign plan for any
existing or proposed commercial or industrial development of at least two (2)
acres or more in size which is under unified control either by ownership,
legal association or leasehold.
2. The intent and purpose is to encourage well-planned and designed
signage within a large multiple building or multiple use complex which
expresses unification and integration by elements of architectural style, size,
color, placement and lighting while at the same time allowing for reasonable
individual business identification. An additional purpose is to encourage the
elimination of existing nonconforming signs. The planning commission may
grant as a bonus for well-designed plans additional signs and/or up to a fifty
(50) percent increase in maximum square footage for each sign, and/or may
permit signs in locations other than normally permitted, based upon a
finding that the proposed master sign plan substantially meets the intent and
purpose of this subsection relating to unification and integration of signage.
3. Once approved at a public hearing by planning commission, all master
sign plans shall be recorded with the Jefferson County Recorder's Office and
shall constitute a covenant and must be complied with by all owners,
proprietors, lessees or assigns, whether current or future. No substantial
variation from the plan shall be permitted without planning commission
approval. Noticing requirements for a master sign plan process shall follow
the procedures outlined in section 26-109.
Staff has directed the applicant to prepare the document following the standards for a
Final Development Plan approval which will be recorded with Jefferson County Clerk
and Recorder's office. Planning Commission will be the sole reviewing body.
The City Attorney has been consulted and has approved the process.
Case No. IVZ-09-051Evempla Lutheran Medical Center
September 17, 2009 Planning Commission
11. CASE ANALYSIS
Existing Site Conditions
The overall campus contains 96.2 acres and is bounded by West 32"', Avenue on the
south, West 38`x' Avenue on the north, Dudley on the west and along rear property lines
of homes along the east side of Allison Street. (Exhibit 1, aerial photo)
In 2007, a Final Development Plan (FDP) amendment was approved for the campus
which allowed for demolition of 92,000 square feet of existing hospital and
reconstruction of 282,000 square feet, for a net increase of 190,000 s.£ The area of
disturbance is the northeast portion of the campus impacting about 14.5 acres. The
project included the relocation of Lutheran Parkway with a traffic signal to the east to
align with Balsam. The enlargement of the hospital was not intended to increase patient
capacity; rather, existing rooms were made larger to comply with hospital industry
standards. The construction is about 50% complete and will continue through 2010. The
approved FDP referred back to the sign code as the controlling document for signage on
the campus. This Master Sign Plan will amend that provision and set standards for the
interior signage. (Exhibit 2, FDP)
The campus is comprised of numerous buildings with the hospital building and
emergency center located on the northern portion. Several freestanding medical office
buildings have been constructed in the middle of the site. West Pines, an 80-bed
psychiatric hospital, is located on the eastern portion of the campus, with the Collier
Hospice center on the south near the entrance from 32"1 Avenue.
Existing access is via Lutheran Parkway from W. 32`1 Avenue. West 38`x' Avenue access
points on the north are from Lutheran Parkway and Lutheran Parkway West. Both of
these are private streets.
The intent of the request is to construct a series of directional and other internal signage
within the interior of the campus. The current code of laws allows
informational/directional signage not to exceed four- square feet in size.
Master Sign Plan
There are several areas of the existing sign code that the applicant feels do not adequately
address the needs of the campus. (Exhibit 3, Master Sign Plan narrative) It is the intent
of the Master Sign Plan document to supersede various sections of the sign code and to
set standards for the various types of signs needed on the campus. Unless a sign is
appurtenant to a public street, no building permits would be required for the erection of
the sign. There would be no limit as to the number permitted. (Exhibit 4, Master Sign
Plan document)
Case No. 1VZ-09-05/LE.vempla Lutheran Medical Center
September 17, 2009 Plannin, Commission
SIGN TYPE
ALLOWED PER
PROPOSED BY APPLICANT
CITY SIGN CODE
Informational signs
No limit to number
No limit to number
(directory)
4 s.f. of inforination
45.5 s.f., 7.5' in height
each
17.4 s£, 5' in height
36" - 48" in height
13.5 s.f., 3.66' in height
7.5 s.£, 5.5" in height
Window and door
Can't cover over 25% of
Can cover over 25% of door or
signs
door or window area
window area
Projecting signs
I s.f. of sign per F of
Can exceed 1 s.f. of sign per 1' of
building wall height
building wall height
Projecting and wall
Projecting and wall signs allowed
signs not allowed on
on same building wall
same building wall
Banners
1 banner per business or
Multiple banners at one time
activity
s.f. of banner per 1
64 s.£
lineal foot of wall width
35 s.f.
15 s.f.
Not allowed on fencing,
Can be attached to freestanding
ti-eestanding posts,
posts or utility poles
landscaping or utility
poles
Must be appurtenant to
Does not have to be appurtenant to
public street or major
public street or major interior drive
interior drive
The proposed sign plan document is comprised of three sheets. The first sheet contains
all of the boiler-plate signature blocks and required verbiage. It also addresses the
particular sections of the Sign Code from which relief is being sought. It is the intent of
this document to set standards for the interior and perimeter signage. No permits will be
required for erection of these signs and it will be the hospital that decides where the
proper signage should be placed. Notes have been added regarding protection of sight
distance and permitted lighting.
The second and third sheets address the different types of informational/directional
signage being proposed.
Case No. 617-09-0 1E.vempla Lutheran Medical Center 4
September 17, 2009 Planning Commission
III. VARIANCE CRITERIA
In order to approve an increase of more than 50%, Planning Commission must determine
that the majority of the "criteria for review" listed in Section 26-115.C.4 of the City Code
have been met. Staff provides the following review and analysis of the variance criteria.
A super majority vote is needed to approve this portion of the request. If the variance is
denied, no action can be taken on the Master Sign Plan. Attached is the applicant's
justification for the variance (Exhibit 5, Variance Justification)
The property in question would not yield a reasonable return in use, service,
or income if permitted to be used only under the conditions allowed by
regulation for the district in which it is located.
The property could still be used as a hospital hnedical center campus if the
variance is not granted but there could be negative consequences if adequate
directional signage is not provided. Navigating through the campus can be very
confusing with the vast number of buildings, internal roadways and drives and
parking areas. Many times visitors to the campus are under duress which further
complicates efficient way-finding for the traveling public.
Staff finds that this criterion has been met.
2. The variance would not alter the essential character of the locality.
The variance would not alter the essential character of the locality. The majority
of the proposed signage will be on the interior of the site which should not
negatively impact properties in the area.
Staff finds that this criterion has been met.
3. The applicant is proposing a substantial investment in the property with this
application, which would not be possible without the variance.
The applicant has already made a substantial investment in bringing the hospital
up to current industry standards. The signage package is one of the last
components of the construction project.
Staff finds this criterion has been met.
4. The particular physical surrounding, shape or topographical condition of the
specific property involved results in a particular and unique hardship (upon
the owner) as distinguished from a mere inconvenience if the strict letter of
the regulations were carried out.
There are no unique conditions related to physical shape, or topographical
conditions that create a hardship. The unique conditions relate primarily to the
Case No. WZ-09-05/E cnipla Lutheratl Medical Cotter 5
September 17, 2009 Planrii l" COMIWAsiniz
size of the property and the numerous buildings and parking areas. The existing
sign code does not adequately address a campus-type setting. The Master Sign
Plan is the preferable option available for this type of situation. Only one other
master sign plan has been approved for property in Wheat Ridge. This was in the
late 1990's for the Medved Autoplex. That sign plan was never fully
implemented.
Staff finds this criterion has been met.
5. The alleged difficulty or hardship has not been created by any person
presently having an interest in the property.
The hardship was created by a person having an interest in the property.
Staff funds this criterion has not been met.
6. The granting of the variance would not be detrimental to the public welfare
or injurious to other property or improvements in the neighborhood in
which the property is located, by, among other things, substantially or
permanently impairing the appropriate use or development of adjacent
property, impairing the adequate supply of light and air to adjacent
property, substantially increasing the congestion in public streets or
increasing the danger of fire or endangering the public safety, or
substantially diminishing or impairing property values within the
neighborhood.
The request would not be injurious to neighboring property or improvements. It
would not hinder or impair the development of the adjacent property. The
adequate supply of air and light would not be conlpromiscd as a result of this
request. The request would not increase the congestion in the streets, nor would it
increase the danger of fire. Approval of the sign package with variances should
have a positive impact on guests and patients entering the hospital campus and the
public welfare, in general.
Staff finds that this criterion has been met.
7. The unusual circumstances or conditions necessitating the variance request
are present in the neighborhood and are not unique to the property.
The Exempla Lutheran development is the only hospital/medical campus in
Wheat Ridge. The sign code does not adequately the needs of this type of campus
situation.
Staff finds that this criterion has been met.
Case No. 117-09-051Exempla Lutheran Medical Center 6
September 17, 2009 Planning ComnriSSron
8. Granting of the variance would result in a reasonable accommodation of a
person with disabilities.
The variance to allow larger signs could result in accommodation of persons with
disabilities. Many of the patients of Exempla Lutheran are elderly and may have
compromised vision. The larger directional signs could help those with impaired
vision negotiate their way through the campus easier.
Staff finds that this criterion has been met.
9. The application is in substantial compliance with the applicable standards set
forth in the Architectural and Site Design Manual.
Staff concludes that the sign package is consistent with the following principles
specified in the ASDM:
• Projecting signs should not be located closer than 25 ' apart unless the
signs work together to stake a unified and compatible design or the sign
group is integral to the building architecture, reinforcing a significant
building feature such as a primary etrtrv.
• Consolidated monument signage is encouraged in rrndtiple use
dci,elopments. Monument signs are encourage for netiti, development and
must be located within a landscaped area. Pole sign are strongly
discouraged.
• Building wall signs should fit tirithin the architectural features of the
f t(ade (e.g. not overlapping coltrnms or c01'ering windows) and
cornplirncnt the buildings architecture.
Staff finds that this criterion has been met.
1V. AGENCY REFERRALS
This request was distributed to a limited number of referral agencies. The Wheat Ridge
Fire Protection District, Wheat Ridge Police Department and Public Works expressed no
concern regarding the plan.
V. STAFF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff concludes that there are unique circumstances related to internal signage for the
Exempla Lutheran campus that city sign code does not adequately address. Staff further
concludes that the evaluation criteria support approval of the variance request.
With regards to the master sign plan, Staff concludes that requirements for and the intent
of the code section have been met. For these reasons, Staff is giving a recommendation
of approval for both portions of this request.
Case No. WZ-09-051Eyernpla Lutheran Medical Center 7
September 17, ?009 Planning Conrmis.eion
VI. RECOMMENDED MOTIONS:
VARIANCE
"I move to approve a variance being considered in conjunction with Case No. WZ-09-05,
a request for a Master Sign Plan with a variance to allow Planning Commission to exceed
the 50% increase in size, number and location for the following reasons:
1. The request would not alter the essential character of the locality.
2. The applicant is proposing an investment in the property.
3. There is a unique hardship due to the large size of the property and numerous
buildings and parking areas.
4. The request would not be detrimental to public welfare and would not be injurious
to neighboring property or improvements.
5. The criteria used to evaluate a variance support the request."
MASTER SIGN PLAN
1 move to approve Case No. WZ-09-05, a request for approval of a Master Sign Plan for
property located at 8300 W. 38`x' Avenue for the following reasons:
The existing sign code does not adequately address a campus environment.
The proposed sign plan is well-planned and demonstrates unification and
integration of architectural style, size, color, placement and lighting elements."
Case No. ff Z-09-0 1'E.xemj)1a Lutheran Medical Center
September 17, 2009 Maiming Commission
EXHIBIT I
Il - r LJ1 w
1 s=400~
EXEMPLA LUTHERAN MEDICAL CENTER
PLANNED HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT NO.09- NORTH PAVILION
AN OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN THE CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE
A TRACT OF LAND LOCATED IN THE NW 4 OF SECTION 26 AND THE NE 440F SECTION 27.
T3 S, R69.W, OF THE 6TH P.M., CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE,
SHEET 3 OF 11
BUILDING USE KEY
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EXEMPLA LUT ERAN ME6'16XL CENTER
PLANNED HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT NO.09- NORTH PAVILION
AN OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN THE CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE
VICINITY MAP A TRACT OF LAND LOCATED IN THE NW i OF SECTION 26 AND THE NE 4 OF SECTION
T3 S, R69 W, OF THE 6TH P.M., CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE,
COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
TAY
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VIZ-05-15
WZ-0lw
WLOL15
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CASE NO. WZ-07-02
PHABD412 IDEV9WIF lMPLAN
TARGET CONSTRUCTIt7Ni START DATES:
J*2007:
Begin idetiaatlBtyr,6,1
August 2W:
BeghaSite bWoremnb
SePhmber 2007:
Begin imeriarre4bmig
November2OV:
Boon Haedmdenschbote wank
Jam my 2006:
Begin wasting hBid®g demob6
Mmdh2006:
Besaf1cmak ow; for new addition
December 2009:
COnI@tlCtioncomplnb
Much 2010:
Occupancy
27..
BUILDING DATA
BURMM ADE 8698
Lutheran bbdral CAdwNorth" wing Addition
Faemph lAAbman Medical Cape
8300 W. 3ft Avenue
Wheat Ridge, CoWmdo
PROJECT ARIA
DEMOLITION SQUARE FOOTAGE (SF):
Easement DseDBtiom 1,384 SF
PoBFluor DecoGlifice; 33,813 SF
Second Floor Demolition: 23,977 SF
Third Flow Demolidm: 22,227 SP
Fevrr Flow Daroolitiew 10,498 SF
Total Demdroaa 91,899 SF
NEW CONSTRUCf10N SQUARE FOOTAGE
Bement New Cceanustise: 51,818 SF
Pug Floor NewCM*Wbm 70.548 SP
Second Floor New Construction: 49,04 AF
7laird Fluor Near Construction: 38,006 IF
Fwm a Fluor New Construction: 34,330 SF
Fifth Floor New Conekucim 34,329 SF
Mechanical Pw diouse New Connection: 31,263 SP
Total New Construction: 303,899 90
GOVERNING COINS
State of Colomdo DNq=tment of Rakh, Haft Facility Regldations
State ofColondo:
NFPA Life Safety Code 2001 for New and Existing Halt Case Occmpncy
City of What Ridge:
2003 International Building Code wisit, Amnd=eme
2003 international Pluming Cudewa Ammdenagta
2003 international Maehnial Code wift
20031mer1mponBl Fire Cade with Armgdmats
2003 international Faei Gad Cade witar Amendments
2003 International Bmapy Caarvation Code oralis Amendments
2005 Nadoni Electrical Cade whit AmnAmmta
2005 NFPA 99 H,Mlth Care FwgWn
1998 ANSI Al 17.1 Accessibility Code
PARKING DIFORMA'IHId4
Refer to Parking Anobvis.
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OVERAM IM BATA
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1 65
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31
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Building 1, 11 '
370,716
8.5
90A
RaaWwadusdoped
2,191,286
49.7
52.5%
T~Padneg
87.110
213
2%
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87,120
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TotalCmp=
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-TDSf: -
iRrM oat
Sumumy Ow
MIND Ow
EnstnglHRBlvimI:
I per 5 banb at 423 badr= 85 Meow
1 per empiyee at am atilt=1,160 spaces
MOBI
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MOB 11
1 per 150 Eat 28.132 d= IN Spam
MOB INN
I per 150 afat 94,921 d-633 spaces
Total required =
2,311 spars
Total existing -
2,430 spaces
Total proposed=
2,320 spems
NCNAGR
AB sigmge than be to accordance with Aricle VD of tae What Ridge
Code ofLmn.
LANDSCCAP94G
AE h xleapipg doll be m accordance with Send= 26502 ofthe Whin
Ridge Code d'LBws.
LIGHTHIG
AR ligbmg shall be in acnrdonwith Section 26503 of re When
Ridge GfL n.
OCCUPANCY
IBC GfM I-2, (Section 308.3)'
bXPLAXATWN OF AMt NBgNP11
ExamphLutheran Medical CmWp%mn Mdeniep
yproxinmmly 14.5 an=dglalrcmpm , lb monOPHD. The
PnpoaedMPWAWnwill daddapmdmatolf92110I got of
-Sting hogihl End ropin itwir app -mm* 28$000 Bq-f-of
new manuaiou. The new construction will he aAn pry addition plan
a basement and amechani=I p=ro=w. The new addition will arse=
the hospital Iewd coverage byapp vzbwA ty 35,000 up was faR
Associated dw nWmvaaM for the sprigs pmjnM imclude
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infoaaesthetics.net . www.aesthetics.net
July 16, 2009
Request and Justification for
Master Sign Plan
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
The purpose of this document is to request that the accompanying proposed Master Sign Plan be
approved by the City of Wheat Ridge, and to provide written justification for its need.
The signage section of the Wheat Ridge Municipal Code has been written in such a manner as to
cover a multitude of development circumstances within the city but does not always contain
guidelines appropriate to a medical center campus such as Exempla Lutheran. This is not unusual
for municipal codes, and campus environments across the United States frequently turn to
variances, Master Plans and various planned development structures to handle conditions unique
to campus environments, including signage.
Exempla Lutheran has such a planned development structure, a PHD, and it has been amended
many times. However, it is not an expedient procedure and involves city council approval. Both
the planning staff of Wheat Ridge and the applicant would prefer to utilize the provision of a
Master Sign Plan within the Municipal Code (section 26-708.E) to supersede the ordinance for
certain sign types relevant to a new uniform sign plan proposed for campus (see page 12). This
new sign plan, with new prototype sign designs, is proposed for the entire campus and would
coordinate more closely in style and color with three existing monument signs (added during a
past PHD amendment) in place at the three campus entrances, and better coordinate with the new
north expansion of the contiguous hospital building. Many of the new prototype sign designs
would be implemented in an initial phase within the area in front of the main hospital and its
parking areas. In later phases, existing directional signs would be replaced by new signs in other
areas of campus.
Part of the new unified sign plan will be to introduce a new exterior campus wayfinding system
to simplify and clarify direction giving (during patient scheduling) and direction finding for
patients and visitors as they navigate the 94 acre campus. The system will be based upon a
building entrance numbering system (see page 13), in which patients will be directed to
sequentially-arranged building entrance numbers rather than building addresses on campus; since
some buildings have multiple entrances, such as the contiguous hospital itself (7 used by the
public), this allows for more brevity in direction ;;ivin2 and text on directional signage. This
EXHIBIT 3
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
method reduces direction giving to a single phrase; for example, "Follow the signs to Entrance
12." Directional signs on campus will then give directions to groups of entrance numbers along
the campus private streets, Lutheran Parkway and Lutheran Parkway West. New entrance
number signs will be placed adjacent each building entrance where people are regularly directed,
and the entrance numbers will be consecutively numbered around campus. Numbers will
occasionally be skipped to allow for potential future buildings or building expansions which may
occur.
It should be mentioned that the many existing directional signs currently on campus would not
be allowable under the current municipal code. Depending upon how they might be classified in
the municipal code, they would either exceed the maximum allowable quantity permissible for a
single development or exceed the maximum allowable sizes. This will be covered in greater
detail below (see "Applicant's Intent and Purpose for Requesting the Master Sign Plan
Although the existing signs are of customary sizes and quantities of typical medical center
campuses (see page 7-8) -and in fact are in the small size range of many campuses--, they need a
method of governance lacking in the municipal code and proposed by this Master Sign Plan.
Intent and Purpose of a Master Sign Plan within the Municipal Code
The primary intent and purpose of a Master Sign Plan within the Municipal Code is "to
encourage well-planned and designed signage within a large multiple building or multiple-use
complex which expresses unification and integration by elements of architectural style, size,
color, placement and lighting, while at the same time allowing for reasonable individual
business identification."
How the applicant complies with the Intent and Purpose of Master Sign Plans:
The proposed new signage is well-planned and introduces a new direction-giving system
to a complex campus.
• The proposed new prototype sign styles do provide a more unified and congruent
association with campus architectural style and color (existing signs are bright blue, and
proposed new signs will coordinate better with the beige building colors), and will
coordinate in style derivation and color with the existing primary monument signs at the
three campus entrances.
• The proposed new signs will provide more unified sign lighting as well. All or nearly all
the signs along Lutheran Parkway in front of the hospital and the loop road directly in
front of the hospital are currently planned to be internally-illuminated. Signage which is
not internally illuminated on campus will have reflective lettering for increased legibility
at night.
2 1Page
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
Applicant's Purpose for Requesting the Master Sign Plan
The Municipal Code provides little provision for the abundance of directional signage needed for
a large campus development. There are only two categories in the Code to turn to for governing
directional signs, which are fundamental to patient navigation of campus developments:
• Freestanding Sim: only two allowed per development (Section 26-710.5). These signs
require sign permits. The monument signs at the 38`" and 32°d St. campus entrances
(Lutheran Pky and Lutheran Pky West) were previously categorized as Freestanding
Signs by the city. As there are three entrances and the Municipal Code allows only for
two per development, the three signs were incorporated into a previous PHD amendment
in order to supersede the municipal code. They will not be a part of this Master Sign Plan.
• Informational Signs Accessory to the Primary Use: Unlimited quantity allowed, but
restricted to 4 sf and 3 ft in overall height. These signs do not require sign permits.
(Section 26-710.13.H)
The Planning Staff proposes to categorize the proposed campus directional signs in the second
category, Informational Signs Accessory to the Primary Use. This will have the benefit of
allowing their sizes to be established by this Master Sign Plan, but their quantity to be unlimited
and for new signs to be added when campus needs arise without the need for constant sign
permits, with justifications made and considered by city planning on why each is necessary. The
inherent problem with the informational sign category, however, is that its size restrictions are
far too small for conventional, practical hospital directional signs, and probably were intended
more for incidental signage. An example might be a fast food drive-through aisle sign.
A Master Sign Plan allows the Planning Commission to increase allowable sign sizes, allow
additional signs and permit additional locations over those stipulated by the Municipal Code:
"The Planning Commission may grant as a bonus for well-designed plans additional signs
and/or up to a fifty (50%) increase in maximum square footage for each sign, and/or may permit
signs in locations other than normally permitted... "
Need for Variance Accompanying the Master Sign Plan: The Master Sign Plan
proposes directional sign sizes which greatly exceed the Code size restrictions for
Informational Signs. Even though the Planning Commission is allowed to grant a 50%
increase in size through the Master Sign Plan, the resulting maximums are still far too little to
be practical.
• A 50%n increase in the maximum size of 4 sf is still only 6 sf.
o As an illustration of how small a 4 sf sign is, a common octagonal stop sign in
Wheat Ridge is 5 sf (30" x 30"). (see illustration, page 6)
o Existing directional signs on campus are 35 sf. (see illustrations, page 4)
o Proposed new directional signs will be similar in size as existing directional signs,
but will have a wider range of sizes, from 17 sf to 52 sf. (see illustrations, page 9)
311'Itge
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
A 50% increase in the maximum sign height of 3ft is still only 4'-6" in height.
o Existing campus directional signs are between 7ft and 8 ft tall.
o Proposed new signs are also similar heights, ranging from 4'-8" to 8 ft tall.
To overcome the size limitations of Informational Signs in the Municipal Code, a variance
application will accompany this Master Sign Plan proposing a waiver of the 50% increase as
a maximum allowable bonus for Master Sign Plans, and allow the Planning Commission to
be unbound by the Municipal Code when considering the Master Sign Plan sizes for
informational signs, instead judging them on their appropriateness for the unique
development use they serve.
Appropriate Sizes of Directional Signs for Medical Campuses
Existing directional signs on the Exempla Lutheran campus would greatly exceed the Municipal
Code maximum for informational signs. Their average size of 35 -52 sf is adequate for most
locations and traffic conditions on campus, although not for all circumstances. Due to slow
traffic speed, low volumes of traffic on campus and the close proximity of signs to the
roadway shoulders, letter heights of 3" (5" for Emergency text) are marginally adequate.
They cannot be read from distances, but are able to be read fairly quickly from close range,
due to a wide sign width where destinations can be listed on single lines. Even so, new sign
design in this Master Sign Plan propose slightly larger sign lettering for these signs in the
replacement designs.
~ a
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ExemplaMEWL,
1 AI CENTER
Existing 35 sf campus directional sign
(5'x7"). Letter height 3 Emergency 5"
City street signs, by comparison, frequently utilize 5" and 6" letter heights. Most sign industry
design tables have concluded that at traffic speeds of 30 mph, signage text should be 5" to 6"
in height. This is also commonly reflected in governmental traffic engineering standards,
such as the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
411'age
Existing 42 sf campus directional sign
(6'x7'). Same letter heights, but more
lines of text.
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
The 2003 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD, Section 2D.38) recommends
the following:
"Lettering on street signs should be at least 6 inches in height. On low volume roads and on
urban streets with speeds of 25 rnph, the principal legend shall be in letters at least 4 inches
high. " MUTCD, 2003
Other Legibility Factors: Not only sign letter height is important for legibility. The United
States Sign Council recommends:
• Negative space surrounding the copy area of a sign: not less than 60% of the sign or
background area.
o "This requirement for 40160 relationship between the copy area and negative
space is the minimum USSC Standard. It is intended only to establish a
measurable baseline for the negative space component of a sign, such that a
reasonable expectation of legibility will exist. " -United States Sign Council
• Number of Destinations: Ideally, the number of destinations on a street sign should be
kept at a minimum in order to be instantly legible. On expressways, MUTCD
recommends only two destinations and directional copy not exceeding three lines. While
street signage can be lengthier, such as typical hospital campus signage, the need to read
through sign copy quickly remains an important consideration. As letter height increases,
the distance in which text can start to become legible also increases, allowing more ample
time to read multiple lines of destinations. Color contrast, negative space around the text,
and graphic layout all contribute to signage being read quickly.
Unique Needs of Hospital Campus:
Signage needs for a campus are substantially different than smaller developments and individual
businesses within a city, and hospital campuses are usually the most demanding of all
campuses due to the number of daily first time visitors (as opposed to a university campus),
the level of stress their patients and visitors may be experiencing, the percentage of elderly
drivers and their cognitive issues and critical life-safety issues involved in emergencies.
These issues are discussed in detail under this same heading within the accompanying document,
"Arguments in Support of Variance." (see Variance document, page 2-5)
511'_ige
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
Some Common Signage Letter Heights and Sign Sizes
These three common city signs (counter clockwise from center left) all would exceed the
maximum sign size of 4 sf allowed for "informational signs" under the Municipal Code, yet
all utilize larger letter heights and shorter messages than on Exempla Lutheran's directional
Typical City "Right Turn Only" Sign - 5 "
lettering. (Overall sign: 24" x 30", or 5 sf.)
RIGil
TUPN
ONLY
Typical City Stop Sign -30 " x 30 at 5.1 sf
is greater than 45f allowed under
"Informational Signs " in Municipal Code.
Lettering: 10" tall
Typical City Street Sign -10 "tall x 40 "or
48 "wide, depending on name length (ie,
Wadsworth = 48").
Both signs combined are 5.5 sf to 6.6 sf
total, greater than 4 sf allowed under
"Informational Signs" in Municipal Code.
Lettering: 6 "tall capitals
61 P g e
signs.
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
Examples of Typical Hospital Exterior Signage (other hospitals)
aj lri ~J.
Northwest
Texas
Hospital t
41
0
Sign face approx. 4.f x 9'-6 "
Sign face approx. 8, ft x 8 ft
71i' iLYc
Si,> n firce approx. 6.1i. x i fi.
Sign five approx. H) fi. X 7 fi.
Sign,fice upprox. 9.1i. x 6.1i.
Sign,face approx. 8 ,ft x 8 .ft
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
Examples of Typical Hospital Exterior Signage (other hospitals)
8 11 Sgll,filce appray. 12 1 2.1i. x 15 / 'I fl.
Sign. fare upprox. /2 l 2.1i. x 15 / 11.
Signfiice approx. S.fi. x 5 / ?fil.
Sign,fuce upprox. 5 Jt. x 6_11.
Sign fiwe approx. 4'-6 ".v 9. ft
Sign Jiice approx. 9.1i. x S_%.
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
Exempla Lutheran Proposed Directional Signage
Sign face 7 f7 x 6'-6 "
Primary Directional
Sign face 4 ft:r 4'-4"
Secondary Directional
E Additional
N
Parking
[uthcran
:
Restricted 4
Visitor 4
Parking
Narking
F Restricted
Parking
Sign face 3'-8" sq 2-6" x 3'-0"
Tertiary. Misc.
Directional Directional
9 1P Ige
Existing Monument Sign (governed
by PHD amendment)
Sign face 6 ft x 11 ft (7 ft x 14ft
overall)
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
Other Master Sign Plan Deviation from Municipal Ordinance
While directional signage is the primary issue addressed by the Master Sign Plan, one other issue
involving the sign section of the Municipal Code is also addressed.
• 26.710.11.b Temporary Subcategories - Banners
o "May be placed upon a building wall but shall not be attached to fencing,
landscaping, freestanding posts or utility poles. Banners may be placed only on
walls facing a public street or major interior drive. "
o Proposed: Allow banners to be placed on freestanding posts and utility poles
owned by the medical center. This may be approved without a variance, as part of
the Master Sign Plan ("and/or may permit signs in locations other than normally
permitted...
o ,Justification: Banners along campus streets and in parking lots allow the hospital
to provide colorful, welcoming design features for arriving patients. Patients and
families arriving for medical procedures and for diagnostics, with potentially
serious outcomes, are frequently emotionally upset as they arrive. Design features
such as banners can assist in helping calm patients and family members, promote
messages of health and healing, provide assurances of medical excellence, and the
like (See variance section on "Stress Relieving Design" for a discussion of the
importance a patient's psychological state of mind plays in modern medical
practice: (1) the role of stress reduction and other factors' impact upon a patient's
ability to heal and (2) in terms of practical business concerns of the hospital, its
importance for customer satisfaction and even perceptions of the quality of
clinical care).
As the campus streets are privately owned and feature privately owned light
poles, the campus should be able to provide banners on free-standing poles and
light poles on campus.
o Compliance with the goals of the Architectural and Site Design Manual:
1. Encourage creative site and building design which in turn creates unique and
sustainable places.
a. Banners along campus streets and in parking areas will help embellish
the character of otherwise very large surface parking lots and provide
them with enhanced character and uniqueness.
b. The hybrid sign / banners at the two primary entrances to the hospital
provide welcoming visual messages and unique and colorful signage
complimenting the new architectural addition.
1011"agc
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
6. Enhance pedestrian oriented activity by providing a consistent edge to the
street and sidewalk in order to create pedestrian scale and access to
businesses.
a. Banners aligning campus streets provide an edge to the street and
sidewalk which emphasize the roadway and define the parking areas.
Banners along sidewalks between the parking areas and building
entrances and banners within parking areas help create pedestrian scale
and interest.
7. Provide convenient pedestrian access from the public right-of-way to each
business and utilize pedestrian friendly site and building design features.
a. Banners on parking area light poles are a friendly site design feature,
assist in creating pedestrian scale and elements of pedestrian interest,
and can be designed to create messages supportive of healing, nature,
and healthy living goals, and other positive impressions. These are
particularly suited for hospital clientele as means of helping mitigate
the stress of arrival for many patients, who are emotionally worried or
in physical discomfort.
b. Exterior Art: Allowing banners on poles provide an element of exterior
art which is encouraged in the ASDM.
8. Provide visual interest and human scale through the use of architectural
elements such as mass, bulk, height, entry features, articulation and
fenestration of facades, materials, texture, detail and color.
a. The hybrid sign/banners at the main entrance in particular provides a
needed practical entry feature to precisely locate the hospital entrance
in a way the new tower and colonnade partially fail to do. Although
the tower and colonnade demark the general area of the hospital
entrance from a distance, the new sign & banners are needed once
people are in its vicinity; the entrance is actually beyond the tower and
colonnade in the following architectural bay, and leads into the old
building. Care was taken not to deface the new tower facade with
signage and to provide a signage element which complimented the
modern Renaissance style of the tower form; banners of just the right
scale were developed and approved. They provide visual interest,
color, detail, textural differences (banners), and welcoming
impressions to the entrance experience which help break down the
institutional feel which can be inherent in a large medical center.
11 I1'itge
Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
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Exempla Lutheran -Master Sign Plan Request & Justification
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7 3455 Med. Pavilion /Children's Hospital ;
8 Radiation /Imaging
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16 Radiationl Oncology
17 Staff Entrance
18 Foothills Medical Center
19 Ernefqemy
20 Collier Hospice Center
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131 Page
EXEMPLA LUTHERAN MEDI PLANNED HOSPITAL DEVELOP AMENDMENT N0.11 -MASTER SI ATRACT OF LAND LOCATED IN THE NW 1/4 OF SECTION 26 AND T3 S, R69 W, OF THE 6TH P.M., CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COUNTY OF JEF VIGII`IITY MAP SITE DATA
_C~PM SIT
BUILDING ADDRESS GOVERNING CODES
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center City of Wheat Ridge, Colorado
8300 W. 38th Avenue Chapter 26, Article VII, Wheat Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033 Code of Laws
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3xr MODIFICATIONS T'O
u~(~~jk~%~~ MUNICIPAL CODE
The following sections of Article VII of the City of Wheat Ridge Municipal ' will be superseded by this Master Sign Plan:
4~ ~ Informational Signs Accessory to the Primary Use
- s ~ ^~..7~„„~,, • Size: 4 square feet per side. If freestanding, shall not exceed 36 inches in
height if within a required sight distance.
Window or Door Signs
• Sign shall not obstruct more than 25% of the door or window area
Projecting Signs
1~
• 1 sf for each 1 foot of height of the building wall to which the sign is to b i
r
SITE PLAN attached.
• Projecting and wall sign not permissible on same wall.
N Temporary Subcategories -Banners t- To Itipling St 38th Ave Svop Light To Watlswotth Blvtl i
, A • May be placed upon a building wall but shall not be attached to fencing, i
landscaping, freestanding posts or utility poles. Banners maybe placed ~W.~ r ~
COp$YRIkT10~ BridB~ Inte9~etive ~ "ee'"'~"'~e$ on walls facing a public street or major interior drive.
T f~ ~o~su ~o Explanation/intent of Document
~ ~ ' ~ Staging Area • The need for larger directional signs
• Sign locations to be determined by the hospital
J • No building permits required for erection of directional signage
3 f Notes FJFF ON, TATEO LRA
~ ~ , ~ . ~ • Signs on the interior of the campus shall not block sight distance for veh ~ using the internal streets, parking areas, and drives within the property.
~ t
• All directional signs can be internally illuminated
• All signage appurtenant to public streets and not considered directional
signage shall be consistent with the provisions of the Sign Code provisi f+ m Article VII of Chapter 26. Building permits for these signs shall be re a I I ~ L~CL~
' . _ _ , . , , - _i_._-..._~ _ T__._i,._._..... trt.., ~..,,..,a«,,,.,~ F ,.+4,a (';t,. ~fQThn~t Rir~na'c annrnva) - - -
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Approved this day of 20_ by the City of Wheat Ridge.
Exempla
West Pines CASE HISTORY ATTEST DATE:
~P~~~9 WZ-76-O1, PBG-87-O1, WZ-90-10, WZ-92-02, WZ-02-05, WZ-02-07, WZ-0 Collier WZ-03-10, WZ-05-03, WZ-05-15, WZ-06-12, WZ-07-02, WZ-08-10, WZ-09
Hospice Center
32nd Ave (Master Sign Plan)
EXHIBIT 4
301 Spruce Street • San Diego, CA 92103
619.683.7500 • Fax 619.683.7510
infowesthetics.net . www.aesthetics.net
July 16, 2009
Arguments In Support of
Variance
AESTNETics INC
ft olt~
Master Sign Plan Criteria Exemption from Municipal Code
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Overview:
The proposed variance is to exempt Exempla Lutheran Medical Center's proposed Master Sign
Plan from a Municipal Code restriction on Master Sign Plans, in which Municipal Code
allowable limits may be exceeded by 50% --but which do not allow for a greater increase. The
variance request would allow the proposed Master Sign Plan to exceed specified category limits
within the Municipal Code without a maximum amount, and instead be judged by the Planning
Council on this specific facility's needs and merits as a unique entity within the city of Wheat
Ridge deserving of special consideration.
• Municipal Code Section 26-708.E.2: Master Sign Plan
"2. The intent and purpose is to encourage well-planned and designed signage within a
large multiple building or multiple use complex which expresses unification and
integration by elements of architectural style, size, color, placement and lighting while at
the same time allowing for reasonable individual business identification. An additional
purpose is to encourage the elimination of existing nonconforming signs. The planning
commission may grant as a bonus for well-designed plans additional signs and/or up to
a fifty (50) percent increase in maximum square footage for each sign, and/or may
permit signs in locations other than normally permitted, based upon a finding that the
proposed master sign plan substantially meets the intent and purpose of this subsection
relating to unification and integration of signage."
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EXHIBIT 5
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
Proposed Replacement Text (replacing underlined section):..."The planning
commission may grant as a bonus for well-designed plans additional signs and/or an
increase in maximum square footage for each sign as judged by the planning
commission appropriate to the unique property use of the applicant, and/or may
permit signs in locations other than normally permitted, based upon a finding that the
proposed master sign plan substantially meets the intent and purpose of this subsection
relating to unification and integration of signage.
Specific Section Requesting Elimination of 50% Cap on Allowable Increase
• Municipal Code Section 26-710 -Chart 2, Sign Standards in Commercial, Industrial
and Mixed Use Districts
o 13. H Miscellaneous - Informational Signs Accessory to the Primary Use
■ Size: 4 square feet per side. If freestanding, shall not exceed 36 inches in
height if within a required sight distance.
Underlying Justification for Section Submitted for Exemption
The Wheat Ridge Municipal Code hasn't been written to accommodate the unique and
appropriate functional needs of a large campus environment, and especially for the campus
environment of a large modern medical center. This circumstance is common to many
municipalities, and ordinance exemptions are common, either through variances, sign master
plans, or planned development governing structures. In Exempla Lutheran's case, the choice by
city staff and the applicant is to proceed by Master Sign Plan. However, Municipal Code
restrictions on Master Sign Plans have proved to be impractical for a hospital campus's realistic
need for directional signs.
The structured criteria for addressing a variance follow this section, but there is an underlying
argument common to most of them that can be most efficiently addressed in this single section,
and then referred to in the individual criteria statements.
Unique Needs of Hospital Campus
Signage needs for a campus are substantially different than smaller developments and individual
businesses within a city, and hospital campuses are usually the most demanding of all
campuses due to the number of daily first time visitors (as opposed to a university campus),
the level of stress their patients and visitors may be experiencing, and public life-safety
issues involved in emergencies.
At over a million square feet of building area on a 94 acre campus, Exempla Lutheran is the most
urban development in Wheat Ridge. Relative density is not unusual for a hospital campus in
21 P i g e
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
its community, and although Lutheran's density doesn't compare with the downtown of
Denver, its sudden increase in scale and complexity from the surrounding low density
g for a first time visitor.
community can be daunting -and confusin--
Coming into this environment are many patients and visitors who frequently are under more
emotional or physical stress than in their normal day to day lives. Stress for patients and their
families coming in for even minor procedures can be substantial, and hospitals are the places
where the most serious, life-threatening medical issues are addressed.
• Emotional and Physical /Cognitive State of Drivers: Many people who drive to the
hospital are distracted by worry and other emotional concerns, as well as physical
maladies such as nausea (typical among cancer patients, for instance) and pain, and for
many this results in less cognitive aptitudes. This can be either due to simple mental
distraction, physical discomfort or emotional anxiety. A significant body of research has
focused upon stress levels of patients and family members, and design which can mitigate
the effect.
Orientation issues are common with hospital patients and visitors, both inside hospital
facilities and outside in the arrival process, parking, return to parking and departure.
Disorientation, of course, only further exacerbates stress.
"Psychological and physical stress levels of patients and their family members are
elevated when they encounter the hospital environment, which can interfere with
cognitive functioning... " (C. Robert Horsburgh, Jr., Healing by Design, 1995)
• Elderly: Elderly, many with diminished ability to process information quickly and
clearly, are one of the largest hospital patient groups. Although there is a great variety of
individual responses to aging, studies of elderly populations document common
tendencies for slower mental processing and tendencies to more easily become
disoriented.
Eyesight deterioration issues among elderly is often correctable with glasses, and should be
for them to safely drive. However, this is often not adequately kept up with. A 1988 study
by Mace recommended that a 33 percent increase in character size over signage
commonly read by younger populations, partly due to eyesight deterioration, partly to
other factors such as narrowing of peripheral vision and slower response times. This was
confirmed by a 1990 study by Staplin et al for highway driving:
"For standard highway signing, an increase in character size in the range of 30 percent
appears necessary to accommodate age-related acuity differences across the driving
Population. " Staplin et al, 1990
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Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
Some studies have demonstrated that speed is sacrificed by many elderly in order to achieve
accuracy or cognition. Many elderly do drive slow, and it might be construed that many
elderly who are confronted with small signage text (or poor graphic presentation) may
react by further speed reduction or inappropriately braking in order to read and grasp
their content, rather than miss reading it altogether.
• Emergency Room traffic occasionally is extremely urgent and needs emphasized,
repetitive, clear directional signage. The emergency room at Exempla Lutheran is one of
the busiest in the state, and currently treats75,000 patients per year. That works out to an
average of over 200 patients treated each day.
o Statistically, 60% of heart attack and stroke victims arrive by car and not by
ambulance.
o Some drivers headed to the Emergency Department will be in near panic.
o In time sensitive circumstances, a wrong turn can mean life-threatening, critical
minutes lost.
o Emergency trips are never scheduled. Drivers have stopped whatever they were
doing at that moment of the day-sleeping, partying, fighting, coming from the
scene of an accident-and are often in an impaired condition themselves.
o Frequently, emergency room traffic is supplemented with that of family members
and friends arriving separately from the victim, in their own cars.
o Almost all directional signs on a medical center campus in the direction of the
Emergency Dept. include directional reinforcement to Emergency. These signs
help bring important clarity to incoming drivers, keeping all possible elements of
confusion from the route. Without them, occasionally people will choose a
random hospital entrance with their emergency passenger and start urgently
asking for help.
• Stress Relieving Design: Thoughtful design approaches to modern medical centers focus
on ways to reduce stress which naturally accompanies patients, family members and
visitors who go there. Some patients are experiencing physical discomfort, such as pain
or nausea. Some are arriving for tests which have the potential to have life changing
outcomes. Some are arriving for surgeries, where their knee, hip, internal organs, even
their heart may be operated on. Fear, nervousness, and worry concerning their visit are
common emotions of many arriving patients, and these emotions are shared by family
members and friends.
Many years ago, hospital design focused upon clinical efficiencies and a clinical
aesthetic; some may recall the days when bright white interiors and bright white nurse's
uniforms expressed a facility's sterility and cleanliness. The patient's psychology was
41 ~ ~ tge
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
ignored as irrelevant to their ability to be treated and to be healed; modern science within
a germ-free environment was the treatment. This has all changed in the past 20-30 years,
due to an abundance of empirical research on the role that a patient's psychological state
of mind has on their ability to heal and the speed at which the process can occur. Design
of hospitals and healthcare in general has evolved to address and embrace this.
Design approaches are multi-faceted, and much of the focus is upon the interior
environment of hospitals -careful choice of colors, artwork and room design, views to
nature, room layouts that include family members and many patient and family amenities.
The design focuses on stress reduction, positive distractions, and associations with nature,
health and well-being.
Pertinent to this project, design of the exterior environment can also contribute to helping
calm and re-assure patients and visitors, and at minimum can attempt not to contribute
further to their inherent stress levels.
• Wayfinding: Wayfinding involves a holistic analysis of visitor navigation issues
in large, complex environments, and the proposal of systematic solutions in both
direction giving and direction finding. In doing so, one of its principal benefits is
to help eliminate confusion in the arrival process, because confusion can
exacerbate stress levels. The Exempla Lutheran campus currently has 15
individual exterior building entrances which are patient and visitor destinations,
multiple parking areas, drop off zones and valet. Without clarity of direction
giving and direction finding, a whole new level of stress is introduced to arriving
on campus.
Exempla Lutheran will be introducing an exterior wayfinding solution in which
building entrances will be consecutively numbered throughout their 94 acre
campus. Without this, directional signage -as it exists today-is full of long lists
of destinations and directional arrows, and these tend to overwhelm drivers and
inevitably cause confusion.
Even with more efficient system of directions, signage cannot be small or discrete
in such an environment. Signage constraints which are too small require small,
less readable text size, multiple lines of text for single destinations, and lack of
clarity in graphic layouts. With such an impact on drivers, are limitations which
require small signs more aesthetic in a medical campus environment? Actually the
opposite is true: they cause confusion and anxiety in viewers.
• Aesthetic Approaches: The architecture of the new addition to Exempla
Lutheran, featuring a modern version of a renaissance tower -an aesthetic
51 Page
Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
• derivation from the original chapel on site is an attempt to provide a unique,
interesting, approachable hospital fagade and entrance.
Signage is needed to reinforce the hospital entry, and provide clarity once one is
there -the tower itself and flanking colonnade is adjacent the entry but not the
entrance itself. The solution is part sign, part banners -something which supports
the genre of the renaissance aesthetic and adds both a colorful and welcoming
addition to the fagade.
Conclusion: Directional signage at Exempla Lutheran Medical Center needs to mitigate many
problems particular to the nature of most hospital campuses: a large, complicated
environment relative to other areas of a community, a user group which frequently is in a less
cognitive state than when they are driving to other destinations in the city, and an important
destination -the emergency room-which is a community public safety issue to emphasize
and clarify.
Hospital directional signage, as opposed to other types of conventional directional signage, needs
to be on the large end of the spectrum in terms of readability and frequency of signage. This
has an impact on letter height, sign size and number of signs needed, which may not be as
important to other project types in a municipality.
Specific Justifications for Variance:
This variance application is specifically for a waiver on Section 26.708E.2 Muster Sign Plan, in
its stipulation that a bonus increase of 50% may be made to the maximum square footage for
each sign, as it applies to Section 26-710.13.H Miscellaneous - Informational Signs
Accessory to the Primary Use. Instead, the variance requests that no specific restrictions on
sign sizes encumber the Master Sign Plan, and that the project signage needs be considered in
context with the medical center campus as a unique development within the city.
Specific justification for this section are discussed in the accompanying document: "Request and
justification for Master Sign Plan". As this variance proposal is specifically tied to the
Master Sign Plan, for brevity the justification arguments will not be repeated here. Of the two
sections impacted by the Master Sign plan, only one is being proposed for variance to free
the Master Sign Plan from restrictions on allowing size increases.
26-710.13. H Miscellaneous - Informational Signs Accessory to the Primary Use
o Size: 4 square feet per side. If freestanding, shall not exceed 36 inches in height if
within a required sight distance.
The other section, regarding permissible banner locations, may be addressed entirely through the
Master Sign Plan and will not require variance.
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Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
Variance Criteria Arguments
A. Property would not yield a reasonable return in use, service or income if permitted to be
used only under the conditions allowed by regulation for the district in which it is located.
If signs of only 6 sf and 4.5 ft tall were allowed as directional signs, or if only 2 freestanding
signs were allowed for the entire premises, the medical center campus would be extremely
difficult for visitors to navigate, causing a very large percentage of patients and visitors to
become lost or arrive at the wrong destination and have to be re-directed. This would have a
direct effect on the ability for the hospital to have efficient patient scheduling, because of the
number of patients per day who arrive late or miss appointments entirely. An inability to
efficiently schedule can cause a substantial loss in a hospital's operating profits; they
virtually see fewer patients per day than when most patients show up on time.
In addition to the direct impact on a hospital's scheduling efficiencies, visitor dissatisfaction
with being lost puts the hospital at a competitive disadvantage with smaller outpatient clinics
offering similar services as the hospital and its medical office buildings on the Exempla
Lutheran campus. In addition, patients who arrive late for appointments impact patients to
arrive on time, but find they now must wait. Patient dissatisfaction with customer service
can induce patients to use other hospitals in the Denver region instead, even though the drive
may be further.
Less tangibly, hospital personnel find that patients who arrive at their departments in a
frustrated state due to wayfinding or other issues often allow their mood to color their entire
experience at the hospital, including their perception of the quality of service and treatment
they have been given. This would have real implications to any business' success in keeping
customers, and attracting new customers though word of mouth.
B. The variance would not alter the essential character of the locality.
The nature 01'01e items within the variance rcqucst are not of such import that they would
alter the essential character of the locality, and proposed increases in allowable size and
locations would not alter- the essential character of the locality. In addition, signage and
banner locations for the campus will almost exclusively occur along private streets
belonging to the medical center, not along the public streets of Wheat Ridge.
C. The applicant is proposing a substantial investment in the property with this application,
which would otherwise not be possible without the variance.
D. The particular physical surrounding, shape or topographical condition of the specific
property results in a particular and unique hardship (upon the owner) as distinguished from
a mere inconvenience.
The particular size Of parcel -94 acres and six city blocks in length- with elevation changes
and landscape screening, prevent a visitor fi-om visually orienting themselves to the entire
campus development as they would in a shopping center's front parking lot. In addition,
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Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
unlike a shopping center, the campus has numerous destinations on three sides of the
hospital's contiguous building, accessed from two campus streets, with substantial
distances to drive from one side of the campus to the other. Since visual orientation to all
destinations is impossible, it is essential to rely on directional signage to navigate the site.
Thus, multiple directional signs listing multiple destinations is essential, not a mere
convenience. The need for multiple destinations readable at normal traffic speeds along
the two campus streets requires signs substantially larger than the municipal code allows
for informational signs.
E. If there is a particular or unique hardship, the alleged difficulty or hardship has not been
created by any person presently having an interest in the property.
Simply statcd, the hardship is the limitations of the municipal code sections on si(ynage,
which were not created to apply to the nature of this type of development: a hospital campus.
Directional signs of substantial sizes, to allow legible typefaces and multiple lines of
destinations, are fundamental to any hospital campus, which characteristically have many
patient and visitor building destinations, building entrances within single buildings, parking
destinations and options (such as valet and drop-off areas), and repetitive and clear route
signs to Emergency.
Sign sizes allowed by the municipal code which would apply to directional signs constrain
either quantity allowed (Freestanding signs: 2 allowed per premises) or sign area and sign
height (Informational Signs: 4 sf maximum, 3' tall maximum, but no limit on quantity).
The latter, informational signs, have been chosen by the planning staff as the most
appropriate sign type in the municipal code to govern campus directional signage. However,
the area and height constraints of the code, even with an allowable 50% increase, are not
nearly sufficient to function as directional signs on a hospital campus. This variance seeks to
exempt this campus from a size limit increase for informational signs, and to allow the
Master Sign Plan to set the governing standards without constraint.
The area allowed for informational signs was likely meant to govern incidental signage such
as fast food outlet drive through aisles. Four square feet is a very discrete sign size; it's
smaller than a tyhicul stop sign (30" x 30", an octagon of 5.1 sf) and approximately the
combined site of the tivo street names on a Wheat Ridge corner street sign along Wadsworth
(see Page 6, Justification for Master Sign Plan document). Allowing a 50% increase from 4
sf to 6 sf isn't nearly enough to function for hospital use.
In contrast, Exempla Lutheran's current directional signs along their campus streets are 35 sf
(5'x7') and are approximately 7 ft tall (three larger, primary directional signs are located at
campus entrances at 38`x' and 32nd streets). These are reasonably adequate, their width of 7'
allowing for single lines of text for destinations, spelled out in reasonable typeface sizes
appropriate to the road speed. These existing signs are not large for hospital campuses in
general; many are 50 sf or greater (see page 7-8, Justification for Master- Sign Plan
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Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
document). Proposed new signs are in the general size range of 17 - 52 sf each, depending
upon location and use.
F. The granting of the variance would not be detrimental to the public welfare orinjurious to
other property or improvements in the neighborhood in which the property is located by,
among other things, substantially or permanently impairing the appropriate use or
development of adjacent property, impairing the adequate supply of light and air to
adjacent property, substantially increasing the congestion in public streets or increasing the
danger of fire or endangering the public safety, or substantially diminishing or impairing
property values within the neighborhood.
Nothing regarding the nature of this variance would be detrimental to the public welfare or
injurious to other property or improvements in the neighborhood.
G. The unusual circumstances or conditions necessitating the variance request are present in
the neighborhood and are not unique to the property.
The unusual conditions necessitating the variance -the Municipal Code's lack of an
appropriate section governing needs common to nearly all hospital campuses, no matter what
location-are not unique to this property within its neighborhood. If the hospital was located
in any other location within the municipality, the same variance request would be necessary.
H. Granting of the variance would result in a reasonable accommodation of a person with
disabilities.
Le(-,ible sigMige regarding handicap parking locations and valet accommodation for
temporarily or permanently disabled persons is fundamental to hospitals, and both of
these features will be implemented in the first phase of signage built under this Master
Sign Plan. In this first phase, the hospital's newly configured plain parking lot and valet
will receive new signage, and directions to the main row of handicap parking within the
main lot will be noted on a sign dedicated to that directional information.
1. The application is in substantial compliance with the applicable standards set forth in the
Architectural and Site Design Manual.
Several aspects of the variance request are in alignment with overall goals of the Architectural
and Site Design Manual (ASDM):
Encourage creative site and buildina design which in turn creates unique and sustainable
places.
a. Uniform signage helps tie the overall 94-acre site together.
b. The new signage color provides more visual continuity with the existing campus
buildings, providing a more coherent visual environment. The existing bright blue
signage would be relatively discordant with the building color palate, and the new
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Exempla Lutheran Medical Center - Variance for Master Sign Plan
c. replacement signage should encourage further aesthetically-coordinated aesthetic
site enhancements in the future.
6. Principle: Signage shall be well-designed and located strategically so as to lessen the
impact of advertising.
The new wayfinding system of numbering building entrances will provide a more
succinct method of providing directional text on signage. As the campus continues to
grow in complexity, the system will provide less reliance on long and repetitive lists of
destinations on sign faces and possibly less directional signage in general.
a. The materials of a freestandinL- sign should be the same as. or closely related to
the materials used on the building to which the sign is related.
i. New signage colors coordinate with the hospital building colors, replacing
existing bright blue signs.
b.
typography or internally-illuminated individual channel letters with translucent
faces are acceptable.
i. Sign faces of directional signs will be opaque with internally-illuminated
letters. Although the sign color will be lighter than the lettering during the
day, the black lettering will be composed of a special translucent black
plexiglass, which appears black by day but glows white at night.
1011,age