The agenda will be followed.

Swearing in if you're planning to speak.

Lee Helena.

Reno Rapp here.

Sarah Brockdon.

Lindsay Wilkie.

Thomas Palmer.

Here.

Jack Wood.

Here.

Okay.

If you plan to speak, you must be sworn in and you must sign in.

Um when you begin to speak, please say your name and then state your address and your interest in the project for the record.

Uh there's a laser pointer available if you need to point to any drawings or pictures.

Um you may leave after your case is heard.

If you do leave, please go beyond the wood doors.

The little area right here is very noisy and uh can disrupt the meeting.

Uh if you defer your case, you'll need to notify staff when you'd like to be heard.

Uh major modification permits shall be issued within a week of the meeting through the online application portal.

And this meeting is being reported.

Um rules of procedure.

There'll be a staff presentation of up to seven minutes.

Uh the applicant will then have seven minutes to speak to the case.

We will then call for community comments, uh, either for or against.

We'll allow nine minutes total.

Um then the applicant has a chance to respond to those comments for another two minutes.

And then we will go uh into committee discussion, uh, which we will no longer have uh audience participation, and then we will go into a motion and a vote.

Okay, here's the one.

The downtown code is intended to balance conservation and development by promoting development that maintains downtown position as a region's pre predominant economic civic and cultural center.

All right, umoting development along transit corridors that enhances their function and is as mixed use, walkable centers that serve surrounding residential neighborhoods, providing standards for compatible transitions of use, building scale height between existing and new development, guiding reinvestment in established neighborhoods that builds upon and reinforces their unique characteristics, promoting preservation and protection of historic resources, providing clear and consistent procedures for appropriate and effective public involvement and land use and development decisions.

Code is intended to achieve design excellence in the built environment by providing building and site design standards that address public aspects of private development and how building form placement and uses contribute to the quality of the public realm, providing parking and access standards that appropriately balance pedestrian and vehicle needs and result in safe pedestrian environments of the highest quality, promoting high quality innovative landscape design that advances function and the beauty of downtown.

The code is intended to guide downtown's prosperous and sustainable future by providing clear regulations and processes that result in predictable, efficient, and coordinated review processes, promoting sustainable building and site design practices, promoting diverse housing options, providing standards for interconnected streets and development patterns that support all modes of travel, including walking, walking, bicycling, public transit, and driving, promoting conservation of land, energy, and natural resources, establish uh the standards established in the downtown code are attended to achieve the following.

Maintain a safe, walkable, attractive urban environment along the street, maximize opportunities for redevelopment and investment in the downtown core, provide diversity of housing options, promote development that will support transit and commercial services, the community desires.

Protect established single family residentials from incompatible development, protect the integrity of established historic districts and significant historic/slash civic landmarks, balanced development opportunity and conservation along the riverfront by promoting development scale form that maintains public accessibility to the river, considers public-private benefits and scenic views along the river, considers the impact of topography, both in terms of reasonableness and of the standard when applied to a particular site and the potential impacts on adjoining properties, increase the tree canopy, and support adoptive plan policies and recommendations.

However, site-specific uh features, topographic changes, lot size, regular dimensions, physical barriers or easements may create conditions that make compliance with a specific standard impractical or undesirable.

It is also recognized that an alternative design solutions may achieve the principles stated above and may not comply with a specific standard.

It is a responsibility of the applicant to meet the burden of clearly demonstrating the reason for the requested code exception and to provide sufficient documentation to illustrate how the modification is related to a site constraint and or how the modification would equal or exceed the existing standard in terms of choosing the achieving the principles stated above.

Our role is the committee, review requests for major modifications to the FBC that do not qualify for staff approval and reveal appeals to staff decisions or interpretations.

Motion to approve?

Yeah, second.

Second.

All those in favor?

I'm gonna show cherries.

All right.

On to old business.

First case under old business is FC26.

One and three street way.

So WNZ.

And they're requesting for modification.

One to allow for a new monument sign, sign construction to reduce that setback on the E to be 5B to see max conventions allowed for the monument sign to title six might be and then allow skyline signs on the building or four stories.

This is the new branding west side.

And this is a list of their modifications.

This is an updated signage key.

And this is the new branded sign.

The location didn't change where you're closing to okay.

So this is showing the sign back.

And then this is a rendering of the proposed skyline signs on L building B and Volking B.

That would basically and then these 12th Street perspective, and then the three.

And then also allow for skyline signs on the models of four or two stories.

And again, uh this is in our west side context area, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods with rich economic history.

Um that's now both to private and public housing.

And then it's zone is accommodated next to the and a high intensity multi-family housing options commercial and that's what's going on in my spectral or whatever switches.

Yeah, okay.

Oh, did I miss that?

Yeah, I just don't want to do cover.

Um, if if you're speaking today, will you please stand to be scored in?

Straight your right hand and do you finally start in the testing or meet the truth mill and truth and they but the truth?

I do thank you.

I'll sorry.

My name is Dina Harvison, and I'm with Lightfoot Design Group, and I represent Columbia Residential.

And uh one of the owners of Columbia Residential is here with me today and with wants to contribute to the conversation.

But um, when we were here in February, we presented our modification requests, and one of the setbacks was that the brand the final branding and the name of the community had yet to be um chosen, and so that's where we um elected to come back once that was completed, which it has been and was part of the presentation today.

We were also asked to provide um PowerPoint of some pedestals in an urban setting, like what we're asking for.

Did you is the PowerPoint presentation part of the slides?

But you emailed it to me.

Yeah, it was emailed.

I emailed it to you.

And I think I uploaded it as well.

Both it's a PowerPoint presentation, but anyway, it was um you had wanted to see what some pedestals look like in that urban setting, and that's what the PowerPoint presentation is.

But um to introduce you guys, I don't know if you are all familiar with the West Side revitalization pro revitalization project, but it is uh primarily diversifying the housing of that area, it represents a the east corridor, it's split by the interstate, and it the skyline signs that we're asking to modify.

Um, we feel that that's an integral part of the uh community, mainly because it has the interstate visibility.

Um, I think it it was the PowerPoint I I emailed.

There's the PowerPoint Columbia Science.

Oh, there it is.

Yeah, that's okay, yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

And like I said, these are examples from other uh projects that just show the um the pedestals.

But I'm not sure.

Do you want me to speak to each modification and the reasoning why we're asking for the modifications?

If you don't mind, you want to do that now?

Okay.

Um the the first um modification is the fact that the form based code does not allow for there's the pedestals, they don't allow for the uh monuments in form based code, and because this is a multifamily site, we feel it's really it's important to have a ground monument.

Uh the way the the buildings are situated on the lots, a a wall sign or a blade sign would not be visible.

There's only one entry into the community, and um the the entry has a a downward slope from the the buildings, and we feel a four-sided pedestal is most appropriate for the entry into the apartments.

Yeah, that this shows more or less skyline signs that we've done before at some of the other residential properties.

That's an example of a four-sided pedestal that's in downtown Atlanta.

And that's that is in New Orleans, just not far from the major downtown district.

But um back to the um the modification.

So we're asking to instruct to install a pedestal at the main entrance.

There's only one entrance into the apartment community, and the second modification would be the setback of the pedestal.

The um the design process for the buildings, they they we were asked for to place those closer to the road.

So if we place a pedestal 18 feet, which is what the setback allows, it would be further back than the buildings.

And there's also some equipment that's close up to the street, and that also makes it unfeasible to place the uh signage 18 feet back.

So we're asking for a reduced setback at about five to six feet from the right-of-way.

And then we're also asking that the height of the sign increase to about 10 feet tall right now.

The um code is six feet, but because the entry of this community is at a downward slope, and the first building that is closest to the monument, it's seven floors tall, and so we feel like it needs to be about 10 feet just to be more in proportion in the design.

So that was the other modification that we're asking for.

And then the final modification request is to install skyline signs on the buildings that front interstate 24.

Uh, and that's that's the last two pages.

Yeah, those and those would be uh fabricated aluminum letters that halo illuminate from the back side.

So they're very classy, you know, it's not um it's more fitting with a residential, a higher end than a commercial site that shows you the entrance with the slope and the heights of the buildings, which is why we're asking for a um increased height of the sign.

And I also have the owner Jim Grawley, he um is partnering with Chattanooga Housing Authority, and he would like to say a few words too, please.

Thank you, Dean.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you.

Um I just want to give you a perspective from what we're doing here and also answer any questions you have.

The the West Side Development, uh, we were recruited as the master developer in partnership with um with the Chattanooga Housing Authority.

It's really an initiative of the city of Chattanooga, the housing authority, and then we've come alongside that as the housing development partner, and you may know it's a comprehensive effort to really redevelop the whole west side area, which is centered around the College Hill Courts, which is 497 1940 public housing units.

So we're replacing every one of those one for one.

We're also bringing in workforce housing and market rate housing to an area that is very economically and physically isolated.

So from that perspective, the visibility of this and being able to let people know where it is, what it is, and there's affordable housing opportunities immediately in the downtown is really important.

So the signage dovetails with that.

Um that's why we're asking for, you know, people obviously you can see this going up.

Um, but what is it?

People think right now, the only thing in there for me is is subsidized housing.

And we we are working very hard at building in locations like this to make sure nobody's displaced.

Um, but we're also trying to attract people in.

And so the attracting people in is really important because what I've found, and I'm I'm a recent uh resident of Chattanooga, but people don't know what's in there, and so being able to identify it from uh you know all the traffic counts going by is very important.

Um, the other thing is the site constraints.

This this site is the one site out of the the development is 1,100 new homes, but um replacing all the existing and also adding a lot.

But um, this is the only site that's really gonna have signage that we're gonna have a in a position that's visible from downtown or from the highway.

And so it's trying to be subtle.

We put a lot in these elevations.

There's a lot of brick, there's a lot of variation of the elevations, variation of the colors to make it as attractive as possible.

But having some identification of what it is is really important because the most visibility is from there.

The only other way to get into the site without a lot of turnaround is is coming under 12th street.

So 12th Street is where the monument sign is, and and Dina's articulated the case there.

It's a little unique for us because we only have a single entry in, and we have a scale of an urban scale, and the form-based code's been really helpful to be able to do that to meet some of the goals of the overall plan.

But having a sign that that is clearly visible and is visible from multiple directions will really help us because right now people don't know what's here other than the existing condition, and we want them to know that it is welcoming for all, but to be successful, we've got to attract a lot of people into this community as well.

So that's where the signage for us is really critical.

We want to be as sensitive and as high quality as possible with the design, but we think a couple spots where you can you can have some identity of this new place, is really going to be helpful to the overall mission of the project.

I'd be happy to answer any questions about what it is and why it is.

Oh, not sure.

I don't want everyone to speak.

Um is there anybody from the the audience that would like to speak with those or for this project?

Um I guess you guys don't need to say any more.

Does anybody from the committee have any questions?

Uh actually like the ask if um you have some memory or record of the February meeting of what was discussed there.

In the February meeting, the concern was about audience signs more about it being a submerged style sign and in urban context.

Um that was the great discussion around that sign, and I think there was you mentioned um concerns since it didn't actually have a name or a brand that's made a decision about what that final branch is going to be.

So they deferred to come back once they had that meaning with the city came off with the brand.

Was there any discussion on the skyline signs?

I don't think that there was a huge objections with skyline signs except that they looked at the time sort of like hotel signage.

Yeah, okay.

And the drawing I had was just a placeholder instead of what the actual name was going to be.

Yeah, we appreciate your patience with the we we went through a pretty extensive process.

There's the community itself has been very involved in everything from the master plan, and some of you are involved in the master planning, um, and and the development of uh of what we're gonna build, how we're gonna do it, um, and and all the other elements.

And so we were we wanted to really have a careful process of uh, and we do this pretty typically of working with the community on what are identifiers, what what are the are what is the message we want to send about how we identify what's new, but also be respective of the old and what the history of the community is, which there's a lot of great history, and so that took a while.

Uh, it was the process of community meetings, it's processed a lot of input, it was a process of a you know social media polls, things like that.

And that's where we came up with really a reaffirmation of branding the west side, but also having kind of uh branding manifestos and themes around that because we're gonna have multiple different phases and different buildings with different identities.

This is the one that has the most challenges signage-wise.

The next one we're building is up already under construction up on the top of the hill.

We're gonna have a blade sign there that I think is already fits within the form-based code.

No, I don't think we're gonna have much ask there.

Then we're gonna be starting to build on the College Hill Court site on the third phase starting in 2027.

And so I think those will be a lot more typical and and aligned with, but this site in particular has some unique aspects.

Was there um any community meetings held about signage in particular?

This this version of signage to see what the community there thinks about.

We usually have community.

I actually provided this was back in February and the meeting, I believe was toward the end of January, where they presented the designs that I had that were placeholders, and you know, it was all um the comments were very positive, and uh that was part of what I originally had to give you guys back in February.

Yeah, prior to the project.

Yeah, there was nothing in had it even.

Yes, right.

Yeah, it was just not long before that February meeting.

So we'll I mean the brandings out.

Oh, yeah, the branding.

It was it was and and so we showed where why it was important um and why where it was gonna be manifested.

So we showed the drawings with with kind of the blank name and said this is where you're gonna see it.

Um, and this is this it this is why it's important, and it's gonna be in all the collateral materials, the the marketing materials, um, and carry through the the development, the the fonts, the colors, all those things are really important, and so that's where we got a lot of input.

So I don't think we change anything about what we'd be asking for as far as the physical signs or where they are, it was just putting it exact names on there.

Uh does anyone else on the committee have any further questions to ask them before we get a committee discussion?

What is non-compliant?

It's the height of the building.

The the the way the code means that you're not supposed to have a styling sign in a building less than four stories and stores.

Well, it it reads over over four is the verbiage, but the building A is seven floors, but it just so happens that the the buildings that face the interstate, those are four floors, but the code reads over four.

So that's why we're asking for a modification uh to place the signage on the buildings that face the interstate.

Yeah, this is four or fewer.

We we were trying to interpret that because we thought four would be in that, depending on how you read it, where you put the comma and the pause.

Yeah, okay, yeah.

But you said you have four stories.

Oh, yeah.

The the the buildings that face the interstate are four.

Oh yeah, but that way that reads it doesn't put doesn't it say it says over four, right?

Well, it says buildings of four or fewer stories.

Oh, a four or fewer.

Oh, okay, okay, okay.

Yeah, we thought we thought we thought four was okay, but we're making sure.

Yeah, it's not the best part of the uh Lindsay, did you have a I did?

Um, when I think about a monument, I think of something that pays homage to to our history to to a place.

Um, I'm curious.

Um, and I think monument sign brought that to mind.

Is there anything on this site in particular as the first phase that that does pay homage to the um the history with the school?

Is that something that that this that the sign itself could could be monumental too, or is it otherwise represented?

I think that's a that's a really good point.

I I would point to a couple things.

One, we have had a lot of success with these kind of signs in in these kind of redevelopments, but but that doesn't address this historical.

But two things that are here that I think tie into the historical one is, and you'll see it on the buildings.

Um there's a lot of brick and and a lot of masonry because the public housing is is brick, the school is all brick.

Um, we we were involved in the demolition of it.

Um, and and it has a lot of history.

The other thing is the tree.

And and those of you who have been following the process and the master planning, there was there's a tree that's called the grace tree that was very um very much an icon.

There's two big icons in the middle of College Hill Courts.

One was the grace tree, the other was the flagpole.

Um, we're actually in a future phase gonna replace the flagpole.

But the tree actually got hit by lightning during during the during the master planning process, and ultimately we had to take it down.

But we have done a lot of things to to to honor that.

One is actually save the tree wood, and we have a local fabricator who is uh took it down, curating the wood, creating uh planks, and we're making tables out of it that'll be really beautiful.

flagpole um we're actually in a future phase gonna replace the flagpole but the tree actually got hit by lightning during during the during the master planning process and ultimately we had to take it down but we have done a lot of things to to to honor that one is actually save the tree wood and we have a local fabricator who is uh took it down curing the wood creating uh planks and we're making tables out of it uh that'll be really beautiful and then number two is we put it in the logo because it keeps coming up and so we want to really honor that so the logo is not on it's on this sign here and so that's that those two I think the brick and the the the tree are the things that would be evoked in the history there's not a specific to the school um but that was a very important thing in the community um any other comments or questions from the committee uh from maybe the folks who are from the February meeting I've made time uh I'm familiar with the neighborhood and you know it's a nice development going on that but what they're talking about on that minor side when you come out of that curves for 12th street it's going up here and so there's really the only way you're gonna be able to see what that is because if you got to be paying attention as you come out of that curve and it's cover all the understanding when you come out the development immediately on your right it slopes up so there's really no way of seeing it if that sign is pushed back 18 feet you can't drive and we look so I I think I don't have a problem.

Okay so you think there's significant enough you know terrain issues that okay that's good I think there's more than it in that in that uh diagram the architectural it really feels like a lot more slope than that it's it's pretty steep you can see it in the photograph uh from the street but it it feels like as as Mr.

Rough said more slope than that and we also have a handicap access old um sidewalks we have a lot of things going on there um there there are there's equipment uh related to the to the fire pumps and things like that so that is also a reason to to locate it where we've asked for at that the five foot setback but I think it's not if you look at that drawing right beyond the edge of the building on the right it's the it's the highway and you're coming out from under that underpass so it is like you come by you see there's there's a building and then boom it's right there and that that's your one shot to see what it is.

And also this phase one is like the corridor entering the entire revitalization projects so it's almost like that's the book end and I and I would say you know even though this is under a form basic code which is primarily dealing with urban edges it was probably the only way to get this project done in the density it was but it's still a residential deal um pretty open between buildings and does anyone have any thoughts about the skyline sign four stories instead of five feel like we've allowed that before because of visual issues but I can't recall the case I'd be I would be fine with it especially considering how elevated the buildings are in relation to the context okay so we feel like it's a it could be appropriate since the buildings are elevated to be much higher than four stories from the street would anyone like to make a motion I'll make a motion make a motion on case number ALPC 26 long three grace streetway and it's submitted soon to the city of chat code section 30 a five six four and student code specify the low subject to all issues modification of course a reduction in the mining sign set up to 185 and the rationale behind that is because the buildings are closer to the street and the sign is sitting between a bunch of utility stuff sitting on the street and it's a steep grade getting into sight so that's really um it's seeing the dimensions allow for the monument sign increasing height from six feet to nine feet and the same reason just to dress the role if you shore you won't be a C sign round that curve on through allowing the scaling for four floors view of servers that's again I think those can only be seen from the previous and from downtown so we can't see it from conflicts and and that's really the only way we can uh put the slides for okay um we have a motion can I get a second everything together well he made the motion to get proof right sorry all those in favor aye aye all those opposed motion here

And that's what we're going to be doing.

Okay.

Um we have a motion.

Can I get a second?

Everything together.

Well, you made the motion to approve their favor.

All right.

All those opposed.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

So they are asking for a modification to allow a message center sign and then to see the maximum ground floor signs for its meeting sign.

This is located at the middle of the carriage center.

This is an area of location.

This is a video board.

So again, the bottom thing for us is to allow a messing center signal board sign and to exceed that round course uh square footage.

And again, it's mostly office and women activity.

But there are options for multi-patrick residences, especially for excuse.

And this is intended to accommodate a variety of residential detail service, which opens in a shop front.

And again, these are flexible taller for us with large areas transparent.

So how does that make the applicant to talk about the project?

Hello, my name is Vince Butler.

I'm the uh with the National or the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.

Thank you for taking time to hear her case today.

Um so we would like to uh ask for an exception to do a proposed LED screen that will help the Heritage Center better fulfill its mission for a couple of ways.

Um it will provide a modern effective way to reach the school groups, recognize visiting medal of honor recipient, recipients and other distinguished guests that are visiting the center to highlighting our educational programs and share important information when people pass through the aquarium plaza each and every day.

When they visitors enter the plaza, they primarily enter through T two key points of access, um aquarium way and chestnut street.

The video board um is the most visible way possible to communicate to the as people walk through these two points of access where our building sign is not.

Um if you've ever been to the plaza of the heritage center, there's um I'm guessing a 60-foot tree right in front of our sign and the concrete bridge walkover that blocks our sign.

So one of our biggest issues when we talk to people is is where are you located at?

And uh we think if you talk about how you communicate with people today, video is the most effective way to reach people.

So they will um the LED screen will not be used for commercial advertising.

I want to make sure that is clear.

It will not be running at night.

I want to make that clear.

It will be turned off when we close.

Um there'll be no sound except we have occasionally we'll have a private public event out in our patio, like we did on America 250 in July 4th, where we have a breaks of honor ceremony where we already have audio on a front door to project the speaker and the playing of taps.

So um, but if it's not with an event at the heritage center outside, then it will not be playing sound.

So we're asking um again.

I I think this is the most appropriate way that we can communicate with the public and strengthen our presence in downtown Chattanooga and have a way to connect with students, families, and tourists, and community members as they walk through the plaza.

And in a meeting with the uh some people that were in opposition to this application.

Um the one thing I do want to say and clarify their main reason for the opposition was this is a park.

The aquarium plaza per se is not a recognized city park.

The passage is that is clearly a city park.

Um, but the LED board is not visible from the passage.

You can't even see it.

It's a completely different side of the aquarium plaza.

Um so I want to make sure that that is communicated.

Um if you'll pull up the little screen real quick, I want to just clarify it.

So that's our front.

If you just not play the video, do the picture.

Okay, how do you get this thing to point?

Oh, there it is.

So, okay, right.

Well, look at this right here.

The board is 15 feet by 15 feet.

It'll be centered, um, kind of there's probably a two to three foot panel on each side of this that'll be the remaining uh the glass, but the screen will be put positioned right above our front doors.

So when you actually look in, if you're at the plaza, you're coming over from the Chattanooga Green Space and walking in front of the aquarium, you'll see the sign.

If you're coming from where uh Ben and Jerry's ice cream is, you're gonna see the sign.

As you come across into the horseshoe and you turn right, you'll see it.

And so those are the two key access points of the aquarium that uh people traverse.

So you can actually say when I say you walk down to the aquarium parking lot and turn in here, or you come this way in here.

If you're coming from this way, you're not gonna see it at all.

And if you even come in on that sidewalk right there, you're not gonna see it until you get right into the front of the building.

So I don't know if y'all have any specific questions that I can answer.

Um, but we do want to appreciate your consideration of this variance.

And uh that is it, unless you have questions for me to ask or answer.

Any questions at the moment?

Are there any other existing video screen signs around the aquarium plaza today?

There is not.

I can there's not, but the one application we do know about IMAX made a request, but they're street facing, so they were denied because it's on the street.

Ours is not on the street.

And there is not boatboard, it came in before four minutes tour.

Yes.

Across from the Johnson Group.

Yeah.

But that is four blocks from where we're at.

So um, would anyone from the audience like to speak for against this question?

Well, the cones, so I can just go through those really quickly.

Um they are on residents.

And they basically have um similar data center.

And again, um there is main concern is about the protecting the plaza and included lots of kind of overarching ideals for the air by the center one, and again feels like Ross's landing and the plaza is a public art and the display with the visual loud again.

Um this is reporting by needs, people central park, and then Robert Taylor again have issues with proposed location scale and have a contrast to a class and then he considered your board and inappropriate questions.

Go through those quick.

Thank you.

Sir Thank you.

I'm Bill Rains, and uh uh Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Uh my address, 1129 River Crest Drive.

Um I've been involved with the Medal of Honor Heritage Center uh before day one.

So it's been a pretty good while.

And uh we've gone through many challenges.

Uh we have tried to work with uh several mayors over the years, and uh we've got a very important mission.

We're trying to use the examples of Medal of Honor recipients, their valor uh as examples to inspire the future youth.

Getting young people into our facility is key.

I've been involved in commercial real estate for over 50 years.

I've worked with uh Stroud Watson before on the development.

I understand the importance of signage.

And as Vince mentioned, we've got 60 foot tall trees, we've got a bridge that blocks the view.

It's not possible to see us.

We need uh young people who are there to realize there's a heritage center that uh happened right here in our city that created the Medal of Honor.

Uh, in addition to that, it's obvious that uh technology changes over the years.

And if Stroud Watson was here, I'd be curious to ask him.

At one time we didn't have signage that was illuminated.

Uh young people today don't want to see a static museum with artifacts.

They want to see interactive facilities.

They want to visually understand and educate themselves that way.

So I'm totally in support of this recommendation.

And I assure you, uh, the sound aspect uh will be done most respectfully.

Uh, we're not going to have commercials on there.

You can't see it from the streets.

Uh, it is very important, I think, to our mission and the community that uh this be utilized and it would be very successful in our operations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, I'm Charlie Coolidge Jr., uh, lest anybody have a heart attack.

Um I've uh I've been kind of a wafer wayward uh child.

Um I grew up here in Hamilton County for the first 17 years, went off and joined the Air Force, spent 40 years in the Air Force.

I w wasn't planning that, but it happened.

Um so, and then I went into private industry uh working for a major aerospace company for the last 22 years, and I'm finally back home.

Uh I've been here about a week.

I've been in contemplating this for the last 67 years or so, 62 years.

Um, so I'm finally back home and I feel comfortable.

I I want to first thank you all for what you all have helped build on Aquarium.

That's important.

It's important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is posterity.

Our children, our grandchildren will benefit immensely out of that.

Yes, it's a national museum.

And I can remember being very small and my parents dragging me various places in Chattanooga, many places that they had the museum originally, one on George Avenue, which was a big building there.

But in any event, it has matured.

And if they still had the same stuff in this museum, nobody would come.

But it takes modern technology to to educate and challenge our young folks today.

And I I think this is a small part of that.

I'm very mindful of the historical aspects of the city, and that's why the National Militar the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center is here in Chattanooga because of history, because the first medals were presented right here in Chattanooga.

I've had the honor and privilege to be a mayor three times in my Air Force career.

So I am really good attuned to your the rules and and the angst that you have to go through to make the right decisions.

And I'm I'm sure you're gonna do that.

But the point is there's always a tug and and uh pull to make sure that we do the right things.

And sometimes that's not the easy thing to do.

But I ask you on behalf of not not just the city of Chattanooga and the county of Hamilton, state of Tennessee, but nationally.

There's a huge veteran base right here in Chattanooga as well.

People who've dedicated their lives to the country, and I wound up being one of those.

On behalf of them, I ask you to approve this, and we're willing to work with you.

The museums are willing to work with you.

If it's a if it's a little too too large, you know, we'll we'll we'll make it right.

But the point is it's not visible today.

They can't see the museum when you come from other than the street side.

And we're not gonna put it on the street side.

We're mindful of that.

So I ask you to think about this, and I thank you in advance for everything you've done.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

My name is Linda Moss Mines, and I have been a historian and a teacher now.

This is my 52nd year as a professional historian.

I am your city and county historian.

And I am very mindful of the fact that we want our downtown riverfront to be welcoming for it to be a green space.

The reality is that the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, named for Charlie Coolidge, our Medal of Honor recipient, one of our recipients from here in Chattanooga, is indeed a center for learning.

Our primary goal is not only to educate the young people of this community, a particular passion of mine, but also to share those values with visitors to this community.

As someone who serves on the Chattanooga Chickamauga National Military Park Board, who works with other veteran organizations.

So many of our tourists who come to this city come because they understand the rich history here from the time of the Cherokee Nation and the Revolutionary War through the Civil War through modern with Fort Oglethorpe, all of that.

But the fact that we are the birthplace of the Medal of Honor is something that stands prominent in our national conscience.

For us to be able to make certain that people are aware that we're here.

So many of those veterans who come here, so many of our veterans, over 55,000 veterans living in this Tennessee Valley, don't really know where we are because we're not visible.

We're not asking for a sign that it's garish.

I would never be a part of that.

You know, I'm a historian, I'm a historical preservationist.

What I am interested in is connecting the past with the present to influence the future.

And indeed, having a well-designed tasteful video screen is not a flashing Broadway marquee.

It is something that will fit with the footprint that we have and it will allow us to combine all the best aspects of Chattanooga and our history to inform the future.

So thank you for considering this request.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Seeing none.

Do anyone from the committee have any uh comments, thoughts?

No emails.

Would um like to speak again, even though there was nobody speaking against it.

Yeah, I just meant if you wanted to respond to the emails I'm just yeah, but I think I answered I addressed one point, which is the park issue.

Um I I think a lot of it is there back in the mid-90s when the aquarium plaza was built and opened up, there was a perception uh uh from their perspective of what it's supposed to be.

I don't know.

I moved here in 2000, and I know of a lot of people, and we asked everybody the city if there's actually any documentation at the city that says this is a park, and there's not.

They don't have any.

Um there may have been a when they designed it, some discussions, but it was never codified with the city of Chattanooga outside of the passage, and that is a city park.

But again, this this screen is is not visible from that area.

So um the other one uh that they they talk about the uh design intent and um uh I would say that we're gonna be doing in a respectful way.

Um, and again, it's it's gonna be text and video, um, text when a VIP dignitary or a recipient server schools visiting uh uh short videos uh with no sound that shows the inside because the biggest question we always get is that what is what is the heritage center?

And they don't know what's behind the walls to try to help them understand what we do and who we are.

But also the biggest um challenge that we that we see is just people finding us uh behind the canopy trees and the bridges and everything else that's out there that kind of hides us to try to make it visible as the two key access points walk into the plaza.

So I think I think that was it that they did raise.

Um so unless y'all have any more questions.

I'm gonna sit back down.

Back out to the committee.

Any uh comments or thoughts.

We have metrics and what that scale is only on the board.

Yeah, that's that's probably in London.

It's a problem.

Um it's in, I think the technical specs, I don't have it with me.

I should have brought that.

It is 15 feet by 15 feet.

Um, it is not gonna be played at night.

So once we close at 6 p.m.

five o'clock, it's turned off.

So um so it's not gonna be so I think the the brightness of it, it's not gonna disrupt during the day because it's it's light.

Um it is gonna be visible.

I I can I I have it, I was just gonna bring it with me, the the actual lumens.

I think it weighs 2,000 pounds, but it is 15 feet by 15 feet.

So if you go back to the drawing when I kind of showed you, um there's a picture of the full building on the front side right there.

So that's you know, I guess it doesn't you can kind of see it.

Um so you the on the side right here are gonna be like the glass.

It's actually this um, it's like a little border that holds a frame that holds it.

And so the actual screen is 15 by 5 15 feet by 15 feet, which I think correct me if I'm wrong.

I think 48 feet.

48 square feet is the is what's allowed.

Uh if I'm I'm right, I'm I guess I you correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I think it's 48 square feet.

Um and we are what's 225.

225.

Yeah.

Thank you.

As a optics laser guy, um you're you're really interested in the contrast.

How how contrast because you're gonna be in daylight, not nighttime.

So and the lumens, of course, drop off as one over hour square.

So my point is you're just not gonna have that light that you you're worried about.

I don't think I'm talking about more from the context of like what restriction we would put on any kind of you know approval or fine, right?

And it's kind of usually going to be off certain hours, I mean beyond the regional hours.

I mean, that's the easy one.

But if we're gonna continue approving these types of signs and be a charge of that, then like we need to have a better understanding of the scale and impact and groups.

So this is now the third sign where you proponents.

Yeah.

So um that's you know, big picture is I can't express to you how important I think the center of the museum is to use the one I want to help in every single way possible.

Um the from our lens where we have to look from from the code, looking basically not internally to the museum itself, but to the public realm, which is where we have to do you know, this is why we review these things.

Digital signs from the from the work though have so many issues with them, which is why they're they're essentially not allowed in so many places.

And you know, the issue is is light pollution and light trespass.

So you are attempting to address that by saying this is not gonna be on at night.

We could easily say within our approval that that's that's required.

There is to my knowledge, there's no enforcement of that at all.

And so one of the other the biggest issue I have is precedent as in you guys put this we have your sign, you're very respectful, it works very well.

Now we have an entire tourist district that wants nothing more than to advertise their place of business to put up tangible signs as well, and then now that area starts to look a lot like you know, I'm over exaggerating, but they're so we have to be very cognizant of those decisions that we make, uh, you know, including if the museum uh god forbid it ever moves and there's a sign there and somebody moves in and it's an all-night ice cream parlor or whatever it is.

Um so we have to take this very seriously.

Um concerned that we need to work a little bit harder to find a solution that everybody is is happy with.

But if if looking at the code itself, there's just there's a number of things that are that are not on here that I that I think goes against the code, which is signs are not supposed to cover up architectural features of the building.

Um there's the size issues and all of that.

So I I would like to find a way to you know get the museum out there.

Um, but I I'm having a hard time supporting this as proposed.

Um so that's my two cents on like the rest of the community comment.

Yeah, I I agree, Thomas.

And unfortunately, it's it's not uh a black and white issue.

I appreciate your service, and I love what the museum is doing, and um looking at the greater whole of the plaza and the and the precedent that this could set the aquarium comes and wants a digital sign, and suddenly there's a there's a competition for getting customers in, and I know that's a real you know, real challenge for any downtown business.

Um I think two, we have to think about how how does it engage the pedestrian human scale experience, and when it's um that far up high, I just I think that the quality of the signage is really not for improving the pedestrian human scale experience, and I think a um a video sign could be a lot more appropriate at the at eye level where someone could read or you know, really engage with it a little bit more.

I don't know if that is something that's been considered, but um it it feels like the sign is is competing with seeing through the trees and seeing through the other urban elements that are really just part of the the natural um urban context in this in this location has issues of elimination, it's mostly in the location, it's not a hazard like it mimics track lights or anything where visually so like if it was a flash design and things like that are in general, but uh this issue where it's not basically cost hazard like that I'm just saying regular side.

It's not gonna cost may I respond to it?

I'm not taking everybody's comments, and then I'll please I would address uh I would address two points.

Um there's only a two major places that are in the plaza.

It's the Tennessee Aquarium and us.

There's a couple of puckets and uh and I think that's it, yeah, puckets.

So there's three main businesses in there.

Puckets are street facing, so they can't do this.

The aquarium could do it, but I think the aquarium is tall enough where people see it no matter where you're at in the city.

So they don't have the challenges that we have.

Um so I I think that is it.

We are in a unique position.

Um it is um, you know, we're not gonna be showing it at night.

So I think the concerns on lumens and the practice, and it it is a uh to me, it is um positioned right if you're walking in from the Chattanooga Green Spawn on Chestnut and walking in where the Tennessee Aquarium has a parking lot into the horseshoe, and the trees do not distract it.

It's high enough to get above to the like where the tree's not.

So it's a space you I wish I'd brought a picture, but if you're standing in the horseshoe, you have that 60-foot tree that blocks our sign, and then you have the bridge, and then you have this opening, and that's where the sign is.

So it's a perfect avenue of of sight from the ground to the entrance uh on both ways.

Um now we've tried to talk, you know, what is there a compromise somewhere, but nobody won't give us an answer.

They're just adamantly opposed to it.

I I don't know what the compromise is.

Um, we're open to discussing anything uh that's gonna help address this issue.

We um so I we're open to discussing it, and and I I think we're open to the restriction to make sure it's turned off by um 6 p.m.

I mean that that's I think is a reasonable.

Um so that's I don't know how to answer that question on is there something smaller, uh different location.

It's the same challenge as if we were put it below the sign on the wall, you have the same size challenges that we're facing now.

And that would um, but I don't know if that's going to address the issue because then you're still blocked by the same tree and the planters at the aquarium.

They're about to put these six-foot planters um down that sidewalk to keep a car from driving down.

So that's gonna kind of disrupt the sign there when they place those planters in the next couple of months.

And these are they're probably three feet high and three feet wide, concrete uh planters with trees on them, small trees.

So um that's the only issue if you put it down on the I guess the building facade.

I guess street level is what I call it.

Um, so I don't know if that answers your question, but that's probably my best attempt to so just commenting on um there's always a first for every you know, when new technology pops up, there's always gonna be the first one is use chat GPT or whatever.

You know, when new technology pops up, there's always gonna be, I mean, the first one is you use chat GPT or whatever.

You know, you gotta you're gonna have to confront that.

And that that's a challenge that you all as a board has.

And uh, I mean, I'm I'm respectful of that, having been the mayor three times, because my wife said five years, three months, and 17 days, but it was counting people.

Um but my my point is uh you've got to address this is gonna come sooner or later, and it's already come on fourth street or is it north of Fifth Street?

That's also other places.

Yeah, another place in the town.

So it's always come already come, and that's why the the rules are what they are.

I guess my point is this is a unique situation in that there's the bridge, there's trees, and you're really blocked in from finding this building that's right in front of you, and uh so it's it's a line of sight issue.

Um I think we're open to suggestions and how to how to deal with this, but we're trying to get and educate the youth of America, and I'm not talking about just Hamilton County, but a lot of people out of that.

I did want to address one point that did not.

Um we own the building.

We bought it um last year uh from River City.

Um, but if it helps get this um approved, we're willing to put on language that we would take the sign if and went I don't think we're gonna move anywhere anytime soon.

Uh so uh I think we're gonna be here 20, 25 years from now.

But you're talking about the precedent standing standard.

If we do move, we'll take the board down.

Um I don't I I think that is a reasonable request uh that it comes with us if we ever go somewhere.

Don't I doubt that's gonna happen because it's um too good of a location for us of what our mission wants to do and in reaching kids and um children and and the main tourist area.

So I don't think that day will come, but if it does, then I think that's a reasonable request that we take the sign down when we sell the building.

So thank you.

Um any other comments from committee if not all called for a motion.

Um I do want to however this vote goes.

I do want to just recognize that you're you're not necessarily penalized for if the vote goes the wrong way.

You can't come back, there's not a time limit.

I I personally think I'm not sure who to sit down with to do all these things that we've talked about, any restrictions on this board does not have the authority to enforce any of these agreements that you're proposing, which I think are all favorite, um very reasonable agreements.

Um so with that said, we highly like the mission.

Well, real quick on the enforcement photo country still any kind of display so that it turns off.

I mean, there's other ways around, but I would feel more comfortable if that language is in place before approval.

Right.

Um that means that so can I can I address that?

I didn't get some warning, so my name's Tom Mundell, the president CO at the center.

And I I just want to say so.

Some of the things we're talking about.

Swear men, these on X are kind of testing, and they'll be the truth again.

Yes.

Thank you.

So what's that?

Just sign up.

Okay.

Um, we're values-based organization.

We put this in writing, and I can I can assure you from my vantage point as the CEO, we would honor every one of those obligations.

And if you want, we can provide a way that we we're complying to what the results of or restrictions you put on us.

And I I promise you that we will actually honor those because we're an organization.

One of our values is integrity, and we take that very, very highly, and we try to instill that into children.

We teach right now.

And so um, we would definitely comply to whatever the committee puts on us, and I can assure you that will happen from my vantage point.

I have no doubt on that.

Can you go back to the view, just the static view of the sign rendered?

I have uh static view of the building.

That's one of the displays in the building.

It's just a video of.

Yeah, that's actually uh George Jordan, one of the metal bottom recipients from uh the middle wars.

He was actually one of the the Buffalo soldiers that we have on an exhibit in the in a center itself.

So that actually will be a little bit smaller than that uh in the building.

If you can see that there's on the top there, there's glass panels on right and left that are about a foot and a half.

They actually this this video board will be inside those.

It'll be inside.

Yeah.

Yeah.

If I can figure out how to about a foot and a half.

How do I do this here?

Push the button, Tom.

Oh, here we go.

See those panels right.

These the panels on either side right here.

Those will actually the LED will board will be inside those.

But it's it's exterior of the it's gonna be four inches, four inches wide or thick.

The sign itself is on the exterior now.

Yes, yes.

Yeah.

So if you look at those, uh the glass panels are probably what eight foot panels.

I actually are three by three by six wide, six uh six point six, seven point six eye.

And so there's eight of them in total.

And so it actually sits inside the the building facade, the tan facade.

So it'll be flush with that.

So modern technology is pretty cool because it's actually pretty slim feature right there.

But uh and we actually did look at uh panels that you're talking about down below that we could actually do there, and and we were advised by the designers that that would basically put us in the same place that we are right now.

So that's what they suggested that we look at.

In fact, they're the ones who actually designed all the exhibits inside the museum as well.

So thank you.

Anyone okay?

I'll do it.

I make a motion on case FBC 2610, inquiring way unit 104, submitted pursuit to the channel city code, section 385964, pursuit to the form based code specified below, needing all conditions allowance of the message center sign, deny exceed maximum ground floor sign spare footage deny.

We get a second sorry all in favor, all right.

Any opposed message denied okay on the new business.

They are asking to exceed the maximum signage and square footage for us.

This is a picture of the meal there is and an aerial of the channel.

And this is a recording of the rack that they'll put on there as the sign it's total 173 square feet, and this is an AI sort of right here in the cover.

And so again, this is another context area.

They uh are we thinking and maintaining the safety and aesthetic uh standards for code, so they just want to exceed the maximum graphics uh square footage 48 square feet, that's 73 square.

So I'd love to ask Alton if they want to come speed.

Hi, my name is Kristen Harris.

I am the office manager at First Things First.

Um we are currently going through a rebrand.

Um our new look is coming.

Um we will officially launch August 1st.

Um we're taking the intentional steps toward a refresh brand to better reflect who we are, um, who we serve and where we are headed.

Um our mission remains the same is to guide people in their relationships so they can live better lives.

Our goal and focus is to be within the community.

Um if you go back to the well, this picture.

Yes, oh that one right there.

Um so obviously this is our logo first things first, but the bigger impact is that tagline right there that says for the family.

Um the importance is you know, we are surrounded by apartments, um, housing both on our the our side of the street and across the street.

And so often uh people walk down the street and don't know what we are or where we are.

Um so we figured with this rebrand, we wanted to be more visible more in the community.

We want to open those green doors um right there and let people know that we are here in the community, just as you would maybe put like your uh initial of your last name on your house or um maybe your full name and a flag or a rock in your front yard.

Um that's kind of our approach to this.

And uh the brick wrap is um permanent it to the extent of it can be removed.

We would just need to um basically uh re like seal the brick, if that makes sense.

We do rent this building.

Um the Jacosimos own it, and we got a letter of support from the Decoma De Cosimos uh that they are in support of us doing this, and yeah.

Okay, will you anyone from uh audience like to speak to this case?

Um saying that we'll uh open it up.

What's it's paint?

It's it's a brick wrap.

So um it's very it's like a uh this isn't the correct word, um, but like a vinyl that seals to the brick that gets like melted into the brick.

And this is part of your new branding.

Correct.

Thanks.

Okay.

Um thoughts or comments from the minute.

Just have one question.

Um you think about six presidents.

Um if we do this, would that allow somebody to come back to us on just in a kind of sign?

Where we allow this to go above you know.

Um what is the this is a form based code, but there was like 10, 12 years ago.

There's the whole mural controversy, and the size of this is kind of giving to like beer.

Yeah, yeah.

The new sign code does allow for the murals.

So um the logo for your business can't exceed the ground floor sign.

It can't be about your business.

That's right.

Yeah.

Um it's well now you can do murals, but advertising these things.

Right.

That's right.

So if you're a donut shop, you can't have donuts in the mural.

Okay.

No, no, they they updated the sign code to allow that.

Oh, so you can, okay.

Yeah, it's just the literal logo for your business still has to remain within this the ground floor sign parameters, but you can do a mural now.

So if you saw pieces, you can sell okay.

Donuts change the city in some things.

Um I mean, I think it's a very interesting and cool design.

I think it might be a lot for Williams Street.

Um size-wise, considering there's never a spot on William Street where you are far away enough to see that um straight on as it's presented.

Um I will say that's why we decided to go with uh the black version and just the white in the middle to not make it so large, or not large, but like pop out as much.

Yeah, I I appreciate the artful application of it.

It really is more uh of a mural application to an otherwise kind of uh nondescript brick building.

Um, I mean, 48 square feet on this building really wouldn't be that um big.

decided to go with uh the black version and just the white in the middle to not make it so large or not large but like pop out as much yeah I I appreciate the artful application of it it really is more uh of a mural application to another kind of uh nondescript brick building um I mean 48 square feet on this building really wouldn't be that um big maybe it would even just be for the family would be 48 square feet yeah uh previously um what we think I'm not entirely sure if there ever was but the two um you can kind of see there's two like lights at the top so the building goes up and I think that's where signage used to be if that helps kind of put it into context like this comes up a little bit um I definitely hear and understand you know it is large is do you think there would be a um like a middle road like if we didn't do the full extent of the building like maybe we um stopped at the lower portion of the building so the floor to like the I don't know the measurements I did have it in the um yep so um kind of like the lower first so the new logo is just what's it like the new logo itself is um red first things first it's the steps is the is the concept of the logo yeah again I it's this is my opinion then you know obviously there's not necessarily the the a hardship because there's not a lot of you can see the sign from the stream um I think smaller would would be better I think the the for the family piece is probably too much way too much um that big that high on the building um maybe more pedestrian oriented um anyway I'm just this is my this is my opinion this is maybe we're we're beyond you know the square footage of the sign requirement by a good amount and so that's what we're gonna need to focus on whether or not that's necessary or not but if you did be as look at the white I bet that's for each so if we were to take the white potentially and move it up up toward here and kept for the family underneath is that something that you think would be more um appeasing okay is there you know if if she wanted to do the black in the future is there a way to uh not come before the form based code committee and just call that mural art yeah like if they remove first things first a mural I mean I I don't think you know it's it's kind of a cool bold gesture across the building unfortunately our sign code yeah look at this the scale of the previous sign probably took up that whole top was way above 48 square feet I think our sign code kind of limits us in doing artful interesting applications of of signage in the city but um I mean I think that would remember form-based code we do have um the ability to it doesn't have to be a hardship if you still feel like something is meaning the overall intent of the principles of our downtown codes and again look like the experience like you can take those factors in the two groups let me just make sure I understand correctly if like let's say the white stairs that says first things first which in theory is our logo because our name is on it that would fall under the jurisdiction of a sign a business sign.

But then if we were to take the first things that first off of the black steps that could be a mural that's that's it's arguable because it's ties into the graphic and there's another sign uh and it's tricky.

I get that no I'm just trying to get creative here.

It does allow me to separate out the larger mural from the lower and have the whole wall be the mural as long as the lower stable than the square footage from again I appreciate the design very much um you know I think if it went from the the street up to the first things first and then it stopped and we did something if you did something different for for the family maybe down to the right of that garage or I can't say whether or not we would say yes or not but it would be more powerful for myself to get that variance because I do think it's it's an artistic creative area it's I think the design contributes uh just think it's a little more understood so at that point just for clarification would I have I know no vote has happened but would I then have to come back under this original script program.

It's I think the design contributes, uh just think it's a little more than so.

At that point, just for clarification, would I have I know no vote has happened, but would I then have to come back under this original?

Yeah, you can ask for it, yeah.

Okay.

Um we can deny it.

You can bring a new design back to us.

If you deny it, didn't she also have the option to appeal with the city council?

Yeah, she do have that.

Or you can go redesign it within the park.

Okay, what would I do if I were to take the first things first off of the black, make those steps and keep the white?

Just send me the new calculated square footage.

If it's under 48 square feet, that's it would be a lot.

Got it.

Okay.

Perfect.

Thank you guys.

I appreciate the insight.

Yeah, no, um, to you can get there.

Are you asking for deferral or are you uh what's the deferral would be if you want them to not make the decision today and you want to come back, or you want to redesign it.

Um you deferred them to a half time back to if you choose to come back, or you can have a vote today.

I would like to do a deferral.

Thank you.

All right, um motion to defer case FBC 2614 uh 1427 Williams Street.

Can I get a second?

All those in favor?

Thank you, guys.

Thank you.

This was in the urban shop uh thanks to so and they're requesting um to reduce the awning clearance from 9 feet to seven uh feet eight inches above grade, and this is in our rules for all zones for building elements.

Um should be a minimal nine feet uh clear height on the sidewalk.

This is a picture of the pain signal location.

These are some uh I guess precedent images of the neighboring properties, and so again uh design references, and this is the proposed um awning signage.

Then again, it's just the details of the can.

So again, they're just asking simply to reduce the um awning clearance from nine feet to seven feet eight inches.

This has been approved by uh C dot and it's just uh within four-based, they are not being that interesting.

I'd love to have that consider.

I'm Jerry Price's spot design studio.

Um 5001 Beulah Avenue.

Um so we encountered some structural issues when we were uh redoing this is an adaptive reuse project, it's a complete interior gut.

Um, and the rear we were going to salvage all the original masonry.

Uh the building was deflecting uh to a serious uh degree in the back, it started to fall when we did demolition, so we had an emergency demolition permit and did a redesign in the rear.

And then we also had the same problem in the front.

Um so we were going to do the storefront infill with just one structural member, and we needed two.

Uh we also had to deflection.

There is a precast masonry beam above the storefront, so we had deflection in that also.

Um so what we want to do is hang the awning off of the center structural member.

Um, and also we took um when when this came up because C dot, we had to get some temporary use and uh this is IBC compliant, so it's building code compliant height.

It is not form-based code compliant.

Um we could raise the awning to be in the middle of the glazing, which would not look good.

Um it's a very it's it's it's supposed to appear as a floating very low profile awning with uh backlit very simple address over it.

There's not going to be any logo on it.

Um, there is a design sketch.

Um, and we have minimized all the elements to hang it off of.

Um, actually, that's design sketch.

It has changed this is not actually 100% accurate.

Those rods that are gonna be holding the awning actually go up to the top structural member that um are is right below the precast concrete that is also deflecting because originally if you look kind of the lines, we were gonna hang off pre-cast concrete.

We can't do that because it started deflecting for some reason.

So we've kind of just been like jumping when things start deflecting and redesigning, and so we're now at this awning height that is directly adjacent behind it is a structural member.

Um we can drill into storefront, but definitely it's not desired.

We would like to drill into the structural member.

Um, and like I said, we are IBC compliant.

Um, there is pictures of multiple awnings within a three-block radius that are literally within two inches of what we're proposing.

And what we did do when this happened is I um reduced the depth of the awning because it's lower, it was going to go out four feet, and we decided to reduce it to three feet so it does you know to accommodate the height transition.

That's it.

Seeing none, um we'll take a secret committee comments, any questions, anything supposed.

So there is a where the height of the canopy is, there is a steel member behind that.

Absolutely directly connected to at several intervals along that storefront.

Yes, it's a continuous beam.

And if you go to the shop drawings, you can see we were drilling directly into the structural.

There is uh a storefront member, but it's just storefront, it's not structural, which we could go up above, but then we would have to drill into the storefront.

The deflection, we don't, you know, with the wind load, and we prefer not to do that.

Um it's done, but definitely not preferred.

And if we go any higher, what's the point of it?

I mean, one of the points is there's an office entry there, and then there's also three dwellings.

Um, it's for rain.

Well, it's also aesthetics, but it's also if you're entering a building in weather, um, the higher an awning gets, and also when it's a shallow awning, it doesn't really serve its purpose.

And it is conducive to other awnings directly around us.

There's a plenty that are like we went and measured about 12 of them, and the a lot, and I don't know how they're there, and I they don't look bad.

Um, but you know, there's a lot that are eight feet, seven, nine.

We are at about seven eight.

Um, I could tilt the awning up again.

It's gonna when it I don't know what that would accomplish really.

Um so yeah, we we're applying for the major modification, but we're still within eight inches.

Uh IBC at section, I believe 3202.2.3 allows for seven feet clearance in the building code and transportation has approved it.

Any thoughts from anyone?

It looks architecturally appropriate and pedestrian scaled.

I don't I don't see uh any reason that this goes against the intent of the code and the um just lost the word anyway.

The hardship is is is the structural which originally we didn't have, and when we started deflecting in two locations, we had to add some additional members.

Anyone like to make a motion?

I'll make a motion to approve I make a motion on case number FBC-26-15 1429 Market Street as submitted pursuant to the Chattanooga City Code Section 38-5964 and pursuant to the form-based code as specified below and subject to any and all conditions modification requests and awning clearance reduction from nine foot to seven foot eight above grade approved.

Modification requests an awning clearance reduction from nine foot to seven foot eight above grade.

Approved.

Okay, we have a motion.

We have a second.

All in favor.

Any opposed?

Motion pairs.

Thank you.

Um before I forget for the fifth time, but we let the record show that uh Alex Raymond showed up before the first case.

No problem.

I've been needed to say that the entire meeting.

No, we can't.

Okay.

Um next case is FPC has 2616.

Located at 1247 or parkway.

It is in the Ben context area.

It is BCS12, but the commercial might do so.

They uh want to decrease the minimum age free lot frontage from 90% minimum to 70% minimum.

Uh this location already had previous modification.

This is for the that would apply to the first phase.

This is the second phase.

Um the modification covered the lock production.

This is a picture of the meeting sign.

And an aerial location, and this is a site plan.

And some elevations, and again, uh they already didn't meet the minimum launch free frontage, uh, but they are expanding the building, so it'll go from 40% up to 70%, but still not meet the 90% minimum.

And again, this context area um is the transitioning from industrial to um high-minute kind of XQ square particles, and again we heard vertical attribution.

Love to ask applicate to come on top of it.

Joe Kreitz with LME Architects.

Um so like a kosher said we had an approval.

I wasn't involved in phase one, but we had an approval to go to as low as 40%, I think is what we did.

And the intention was always to do a phase two.

Um due to the volume of patients.

So this is in the existing is a surgical center and then a dermatologist.

It's a high volume of patients, so we really can't take much more.

We can't really get to the 90% because otherwise the parking won't be able to support the the tenants inside the space.

Um the new addition is gonna be all pediatrics, um, exam rooms on the first floor, and then offices and um supporting spaces on the second floor.

So just looking to uh get down to 70 percent so that we can still have a functioning building.

And I should point out that the frontage of this thing is 360 feet long.

So there's actually a contradiction in the FBC that the max I could go would be 300 feet, so I'd be here either way to get it down to 300 feet, and I'd still only be at like 82 percent.

So this one declassified as one building.

Yes, it'll only be one building.

It's an addition, yeah.

Yep.

Um questions if anybody in the audience I can speak for or against this seeing none.

Um what did was there a case for the original 40% approval?

It would be 2020.

So we have that yes.

So if they were previously approved for seven, they they can they tied it to just the first phase, and they do have conditions, they do have a modification on there that address the first and session phase.

So just to be cautious since they didn't specifically call out the reduction for the second phase.

Yeah, they put phase one.

Yeah, I'm assuming that they're time that it at phase two conditions become compliant.

So the building have been presented as phase one and two, I think as you suggest not meet maybe uh or would be too long.

Yeah, then it would be too long across the which is really uh approval for 400 feet in here.

Yeah, yeah.

It was just that similar to like the developments down by the new stadium where they aren't meeting lock rummage, but it they do intend to build out the entire site.

I think that it was probably similar thinking at the time they were that condition was we will allow 40% of the first phase.

But they didn't specifically call that the second.

Did the lock frontage used to be 60%?

Because that's what that says reduction from 60% to 40%.

It's because of this this building came in before the bed.

Out of the context area.

Yeah, it wasn't even and I'm surrounded by industrial.

So the zoning change out.

Okay, um, what about the the parking screening requirements?

You're wrapping the parking lot.

That's not required in the bin area.

Um I had proposed if at one point if we have to, I'd rather not, but if we have to, I figured a site wall would maybe be something that would accomplish these two things, but I'm spending the developers' money right now.

So yes.

So what's the overall length?

The overall length is gonna be 269 foot eight.

270 foot approximately.

So uh on the right on the first elevation, this is the street facing on river front.

On the right side is the existing building, and on the left is our addition.

That um, which you could see the arrows where I'm showing addition and existing that um uh entry lobby was part of phase one with the elevator and stare and all that with the intention of phase two just attaching directly to the so I'm trying to keep the same context and rhythm of the existing building.

So you said on uh the previous approval it was for phase one and phase two for four and then I approved 40%.

So that was a minimum of 160 feet frontage is over that right now.

My personal opinion is with respect to the title.

Yeah, um and you know the only point being this is different code now.

Well the issue is that when they reduce the lock frontage um in that previous variance, they only called out phase one.

They but they did have other things where they addressed phase two, so I can only assume that they didn't intend to you know extend that to phase two.

So that's the reason why I just said out of caution, just come in.

Put a second phase for the lock running.

If this were presented as one continuous building pintage today, are there any just you know thinking about the future pedestrian experience along an urbanized river front parkway, right?

Um are there any is there anything that wouldn't comply with the form ISCO that presents as a continuous building that will be experienced once it's the addition?

I believe so.

I mean that this isn't form-based code area, but the the actual context.

What is to the lot to the right in this picture a large parking lot?

A large parking lot the the intent of the 90% is to fill the CT for the running fabric.

So right.

Um you gotta think that the rest of this land is still developable to fill that gap if it's ever needed.

picture a large parking lot a large parking lot we did the the intent of the 90 percent is to fill the CT for the fabric so right um you gotta think that the rest of this land is still available to fill that gap if it's ever needed if you get to the 90% you still have room for the parking I I wouldn't have the I mean technically I would be able to meet the minimum parking requirements but the function of the facility it it would be awful anybody like to make a make a motion I'll make a motion to approve make a motion on case FBC 2616 1247 Riverfront Parkway as submitted pursuant to the Chattanooga City code section 38596 and pursuant to the form based code as specified below and subject to any and all conditions none stated um to approve decreasing the minimum a street lot frontage from 90% minimum to 70% okay um can I get a second second sorry they do all right all this pretty uh all those opposed mid time thanks last case today is FDC 26-17 it's only gonna 609 east 11th street um this is in the use UIX industrial mix use zone and uh this is an existing building so uh it's uh it was not um conforming to form's code when we adopt the code screen so we will not build and they are going to do a change of use which triggered the co-compliance so they're requesting a decrease from the middle grounds rate registration of the required 50% to the existing and um the primary street setback is uh exceeding the maximum from 15 they want to just keep it at existing this is a picture of me inside and an aerial location and these are some pictures of the site and this it's a site plan this is some of the elevations so some of the work that they're doing that is on the exterior is um they're replacing two doors and the garage door um yeah can you explain a bit more what they're doing and they're gonna improve the parking for ADA compliance so uh again uh this building doesn't meet co-standards so they're seeking modifications for the penetration and the building um setback expense that's lovely that's applicant to come up and talk about your pocket all right uh Dylan Fuller 1805 West 38th street um I guess can you steer me to the one with the uh the two red rectangles on yeah that one yes thank you um so I think the main facade in question is the front facade this is the the bottom one is the street facing facade there's the two opaque garage doors though technically we're adding some transparency which I think was part of the the trigger for this would be taking out those opaque garage doors and replacing them with uh clear a clear door and the other windows that match the sill height they aren't fully to the ground um otherwise no changes to the exterior of the building minus the really the ramp at the parking lot um and then along the east side which I don't think there doesn't face the street so I don't know if there's anything we can talk about there um yeah and we don't plan to move the building so yeah but you already remove the chamber yes would it be uh the city initiated street improvement sidewalk and all of that or is that getting in the way of the uh because it all falls under four base code and um the sidewalks existing so I think I think this is the last thing we have left in our pirate uh permit so yeah there are any issues with the sidewalk most of those uh if they don't have enough right away are staff approved modifications but again the building is where it is so yeah um would anyone like from the audience like a speak for against this project seeing that um anyone from the committee have any comments or thoughts to be it's fairly straightforward we usually let those yeah exist is what's the use it's changing from being an art studio into a gym and uh cafe

Um anyone from the committee have any comments or thoughts to be inspired straightforward.

We usually let those exist.

It's changing from being an art studio into a gym and uh cafe.

Well, yes, the cafe will be it was going to be there's not enough budget.

So it's it's because it's a change of use going from like a personal services to more retail, then that's why suddenly you have to look at all the scenes, but it is multiple.

Any other thoughts?

Make a motion on case B uh FBC twenty-six seventeen six zero zero nine E11th Street.

As submitted person the Chernova City code section thirty-eight five ninety-six four and person the form based code as a specified below and subject to any of all conditions.

Requesting a decrease from the minimum ground story finestration from require minimum fifty percent to exist.

I approve.

I will second.

Second request to increase the primary street maximum setback from fifteen to existing.

Sorry.

All right.

All those in favor?

Uh any opposed.

Motion carries.

Thank you for your patience.

Thank you.

I think I got you.

Got six minutes left on parking.

Well, if you park that here, you know it's paid for it.

So last time I I was I had no time left and last time I was late, uh school.

Oh yeah.

Oh thank you.

Oh hey, do you uh not yeah?

Sorry.

No, uh if that's the list of modifications, they have more uh so yes, next meeting is August 13 and right now we can have one case.

Okay, uh motion to adjourn.

Uh this month for historic zone has like two cases.

Yeah, that's what happened.

Yeah, flip-flopers.

Um we're two hours on the preaching of emails, yes.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, they're really an all they really need to sit down and work with an architect to the it doesn't sound like it's uh it sounds like it's a visitation problem, not a uh not something that is gonna necessarily be solved.