SEBASTIAN — The tenants of River Park Plaza on US 1 in Sebastian will again have to wait to find out if their proposed plans for new signs after the Sebastian Façade, Sign and Landscape Grant Review Committee decided the businesses need to modify their signs to better conform to design guidelines.
Unable to come to a decision at the Jan.14 meeting concerning signage for tenants of the newly renovated River Park Plaza, the Sebastian Façade, Sign and Landscape Grant Review Committee agreed that all parties would return Jan. 21 for a noon meeting to resolve the matter.
On Tuesday, the Committee again tabled the issue, giving the Plaza owner and tenants 30 days to return with sign designs that better conform to Grant parameters.
At the first meeting, the Committee had approved a grant request by River Park Plaza owner Joe Cataldo for the main Plaza sign, but took issue with the individual Plaza businesses’ signs, pointing out that the designs, submitted by the tenants individually, were unique to each business and, therefore, could not be modified and re-used should the business go under.
“We’ve run into that, granting thousands and thousands of dollars to businesses that are no longer in business,” Committee Chair Donna Keys said at the time.
Community Development Manager Jan King said that regulations require that tenants in such a complex must have signs compatible with a master plan, provided by the owner. Cataldo promised he would do whatever was needed to meet the tenants’ sign wishes and comply with the City regulations, and Cataldo agreed that he and the tenants would discuss sign modifications, and return with new designs.
The Committee did not elaborate on, nor did the Grant applicants ask, precisely what would be considered the required “Old Fishing Village” look.
The original Façade Sign and Landscaping Grant was written by the Sebastian Community Redevelopment Agency (composed of the entire City Council), in 2006 to “encourage visible, exterior improvements to any existing building (residential or commercial) to encourage private investment within the Sebastian Community Redevelopment Area.”
The CRA extends from the railroad track east to the lagoon and from the north to the south city limits. Revisions in 2009 added the verbiage “Façade, signage and landscaping grants must support the goals of the Overlay District (waterfront area) for the CRA area.”
The phrase “Applicants are also encouraged to consider the design guidelines specified in the overlay district to achieve the ‘Old Florida Fishing Village’ theme.” This had more recently been changed to “are required to use. . . .”
Cataldo and the Plaza tenants – The Italian Cousin, Debbie’s Hair Pampering, Tiki Sandals and Seaside Vapors – were again present, and Cataldo explained that they had been discussing various more compliant options but still had questions concerning lighting and design.
The exterior gooseneck lighting suggested by the Committee, he said, would ruin the overall look. Cataldo’s sign designer, Lori Reilly of Art-Kraft Sign Co. was also in attendance and attempted to explain why the gooseneck overhead lighting would not properly illuminate the signs, but would leave the bottom half of the signs virtually unreadable.
Keys remained against the channel sign style, again citing their high cost and un-reusable characteristics.
Cataldo said a contour sign (as proposed by Reilly) would have a nice look, but with less cost than the channel sign.
“I could agree to a combination of both,” he offered. “My goal is to make it attractive. If the issue is money, I think we can solve the money problem.”
At the second meeting, the overriding contention of the Committee was that the signs themselves had not met the Grant criteria in carrying out an “Old Fishing Village” theme.
When Reilly repeated what Italian Cousin manager Michele Rivera had previously stated, that most of the signs along the US 1 corridor within the CRA, on both sides of the Plaza, were already in place and looked great, but did not have a fishing village theme, and likely never would, Committee member Warren Dill cut her off.
“You need to get the city regulations. That’s your job, not ours,” Dill said. “Then work with an electrical contractor – and work with your customer. That is not our job.”
Keys and Dill reiterated that, although the submitted sign designs themselves were fine, and would probably comply with the City signage code, for purposes of allocating funds through the grant, different regulations had to be followed.
“I know what you’re trying to accomplish,” Keys said. “But our hands are tied. If you want the grant, we’re more than willing to work with you. But we’re trying to change the look” of the CRA.
Dill then suggested that the River Park Plaza applicants be given 30 days to come up with a new concept, in conformity with the fishing village theme requirement.
A third meeting was set for 5 p.m. Feb. 18, at which the Committee and tenants hope a resolution would at last be found.
After the meeting, the applicants and Cataldo stood outside talking.
“We’re going back to the drawing board,” Cataldo said. “I really believe they want to help – but they want what they want.”
