Radnor Township Design Review Board Meeting – December 10, 2025

The Radnor Township Design Review Board met Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Radnorshire Room. After reviewing the previous month’s minutes, the board heard two old-business sign cases and eight new applications. It approved several sign and design applications, imposed conditions on others, and continued matters needing additional code or lighting data. The next DRB meeting is scheduled for January 14, 2026, with applications due by December 24, 2025.

Call to Order & Minutes

• The board held the pledge and reviewed the November 2025 minutes.
• A board member moved to approve 'the minutes from December 10th, 2025,' while the agenda listed the November 12, 2025 minutes for approval; the minutes were approved without objection. This discrepancy is noted in the transcript.

Old Business

Wawa – DRB 2025-71

• Nick, representing Wawa, presented the court-approved project at 302–306 E Lancaster Ave. The final land development plan was approved, and the items before the DRB were the building design, canopy, fence, trash enclosure, and signage.
• The presentation showed a brick-and-stone building intended to fit Lancaster Avenue, an A-frame canopy with end caps instead of the Wawa prototype, reduced wall-letter sizes, and a monument sign measuring 55.5 sq ft because the top trim is counted in the sign area; the code limit is 50 sq ft.
• Wawa stated that the 8-ft rear wooden fence and the trash enclosure also require zoning hearing board relief.
• Board members asked that township police/public safety check site lines after construction; they also suggested the applicant consider brick sidewalk edging and noted the plan improves the corner.
• Motion to approve passed unanimously, conditioned on Wawa obtaining the zoning variances/relief for the fence, trash enclosure, and sign features.

601 Conestoga Road – DRB 2025-10

• The applicant, Sean, returned for a monument sign and pole sign at the Villanova Center; the wall sign was previously approved.
• He proposed a 27-sq-ft monument sign with stone/cedar/vinyl details and solar uplighting, which the board liked.
• For the pole sign, the board preferred a lower horizontal sign rather than the presented vertical sign. Sean agreed to revise it to a horizontal layout with two columns of tenants, three tenants per column, 'Villanova Center' at the top, same materials/design, and a lower pole close to the adjacent wall.
• Motion approved the monument sign and wall sign as presented and conditionally approved the pole sign subject to township staff review of the revised design. Vote: all in favor.

New Applications

Real of Pennsylvania – DRB 2025-72

• Dave, from Image 360, presented the monument sign for Real of Pennsylvania at 528 E Lancaster Ave. The wall sign was not presented because of the code interpretation issue and was continued to January/February.
• The proposed monument sign replaces an existing Remax balloon with an illuminated double-sided aluminum cabinet, 36 inches by 82 inches (20.5 sq ft), mounted 6 ft from ground to top, with push-through acrylic letters and dimensional address numbers at the stone base.
• The board approved the monument sign and continued the wall sign.

Monroe Muffler – DRB 2025-73

• This application concerned outdoor lighting at 362 W Lancaster Ave. Matt of Silent Lighting said the fixtures had been changed without prior approval, adjustments and shielding were attempted, one direct-facing light was turned off, and the business has had no lighting for about two months while seeking approval.
• Neighbor Mike Lojota, 7 Doyle Road, testified that the new LED lights are much brighter/cooler than the previous lights and that light enters his home; he stated he can read a book inside 30 feet from his property line with those lights on.
• The board concluded it lacked the manufacturer photometric data/site plan needed to approve the existing fixtures. It discussed more shielding, light temperature, timing, and a possible on-site meeting with township staff.
• Motion to continue the matter passed unanimously.

Legendary Smiles – DRB 2025-74

• Brian of Sign Studios presented two wall signs and 20 window vinyls for 308 W Lancaster Ave.
• Board discussion noted the 20 window decals totaled about 60 sq ft, consuming most of the roughly 83 sq ft allowable sign area and leaving insufficient room for the proposed wall sign. Board members also disliked the large 'tooth' logo and the visual clutter.
• Motion to approve the window vinyls as presented and deny all other requests passed, reported as 4–0. The wall sign/directional sign would need to return in a later application, and some window decals may need to be removed if the wall sign is pursued.

Radnor Plaza – DRB 2025-75

• No applicant appeared for the ground sign request at 320 King of Prussia Rd. The board continued the matter to the next meeting.

The Brandywine Hotel – DRB 2025-76

• Will Golden, VP of Construction for Brandywine Realty Trust, and Phil DuBroff of PMDI Signs presented the approved sign package for 165 King of Prussia Rd, including two monument signs, three instructional signs, and wall/awning signage.
• They noted the project received the necessary variances from the zoning hearing board in October and updated the board on final hotel logos.
• The board discussed the monument sign design, and the applicant clarified that protruding tenant panels are returned solid volumes, not thin hanging panels.
• Motion to approve the exterior building signs, instructional signs, and monument signs passed unanimously.

Radnor School District – DRB 2025-77

• Ken Marsh, Director of Buildings and Grounds, and Mike Cromwell of Tremco Roofing presented a partial roof replacement at Radnor Middle School, 150 Louella Ave.
• The shingled sloped roofs over the auditorium, gym, and auxiliary gym/mechanical rooms would be replaced with standing-seam metal in slate gray. The applicant said the current shingles leak into the gym, are lost in high winds, and are suffering from poor ventilation; the project was moved up from summer to winter due to severity.
• The board discussed the 30-year warranty, the restorable/re-coatable metal roof system, and the fact that gutters/downspouts are included.
• Motion to approve passed unanimously.

B Devoted Boutique – DRB 2025-78

• Ethan presented, with owner Karen Leslie, the application for 163 W Lancaster Ave for one wall sign and one awning.
• Karen Leslie said she moved the store from Berwyn to Wayne in August, urgently needs a sign for the Christmas season, and prefers the pink awning; the board expressed a preference for the green awning.
• The applicant changed the proposed awning text from an address to 'B Devoted Boutique' to identify the business.
• Motion approved the green awning with that text, subject to submitting a revised rendering and SKU with the building permit application, and continued the wall sign until the sign ordinance revision or possible zoning relief.

Main Line Revival – DRB 2025-79

• Ethan presented a simple wall sign for 126 E Lancaster Ave, but the sign was too large under the current literal code interpretation.
• The board discussed placing the sign in the upper sign band, but the applicant preferred matching neighboring storefronts; the matter was continued.
• The board also advised that a visible address number should be added to the door for emergency identification.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approvals: Wawa (with zoning conditions), 601 Conestoga monument/wall and conditional pole sign, Real of Pennsylvania monument sign, Brandywine Hotel sign package, Radnor School District roof, and B Devoted awning.
• Legendary Smiles received approval for window vinyls only; all other requests were denied at this time.
• Continued: Real of Pennsylvania wall sign, Monroe Muffler lighting, Radnor Plaza ground sign, B Devoted wall sign, Main Line Revival wall sign.
• Next DRB meeting: January 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM; applications must be submitted by December 24, 2025.