 Okay, you all set in your set. Okay. Welcome to the Monday, December the 20th, 2021 meeting of the Montpelier Design Review Committee. I will let members and staff introduce themselves first by remote and then in person. Marsha Smurski, Member. Eric Gilbertson, Member. Ms. Bridgette, Member. Meredith Crandall, Staff. And Steve Everett, Member. Unless there's any other comments at this time, I will let the staff review the remote meeting procedures and process. So this is going to be mostly for people who are watching via ORCA. But Bridgette, you're also going to see something on your screen. And there'll be a few things that are helpful for you, I think as well. All righty. Sorry. Oh, that's Eric. I was hearing the whistle. So for those of you viewing this meeting via ORCA media, you can participate in tonight's design review committee meeting via the Zoom platform through either video or telephone access options. So the link here is through the Zoom platform where you get to have both the ability to speak to us, as well as get to see everything that we're doing on the screen. You can also call in using this phone number in this meeting ID. If anyone's having problems accessing the meeting, please email me. I keep my email open throughout all of the meetings. And I will help you access and get in this if I can. For those pretending via Zoom, so Bridgette, the turning on your video is optional. For everyone attending, please keep your microphone on mute when you're not speaking to reduce background noise. And if anybody does get on and is having some technical issues, you can use the chat function to deal with those or logistics. But please keep any other comments to verbal comments so that we can catch them for the record. In the event the public is unable to access this meeting, it will be continued to a time and place certain. And like I said, I'll be monitoring my email for those questions. I'm going to hand the meeting back over to the chair. Okay, at this time, do I hear a motion to approve the agenda? This is Martha. I move to approve the agenda. And do I hear a second? Okay, all in favor of the agenda, speak your names. Martha? Liz? Eric, do you have a vote? You have to unmute yourself. Okay, I'm yes as well. So we can go forward to the first application. The applicant is Bridgette Morris regarding placement of a new wall sign. Go ahead and describe your application for us. Hi, good evening, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Bridgette Morris with Morris Government Affairs just recently reopened an office. You may remember I was previously at 47 Court Street. I think I was before this committee almost two years ago. Maybe yeah, two years ago now, December 2019 or so. And closed my office during the pandemic. And I'm now reopening an office at 107 State Street on the second floor. And been working with the same designer, John Miller, who has planned a similar sign in the one I had previously, but one that actually fits beneath some of the existing signs that are currently on that building. So thank you for having me tonight. Quick question for you. I see there's a plywood backer behind the sign. Is that plywood backer attached directly to the brick? It says it's attached through screws and or bolts into the mortar joints. But is the plywood tight to the building or is there an airspace behind it? I have to be honest with you, I don't know the answer to that. I'd have to ask John. I'm not, you know, he's going to be installing it himself. But I think whatever the other signs are that are on that building, I know he did the, I forget the name of it, the Vietnamese place and is doing whatever he used for that on my sign as well. But the landlord has approved John Russell. Okay. Now I was just wondering about two things about the weather getting to the plywood. And if there's any moisture that gets between the plywood and the brick and a tight space, sometimes just a small separation give us ventilation, which will preserve the sign. Well, I can certainly pass that along to him. You know, I think he's been doing this for a long time in Montpelier. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, but I will make sure that he's aware of that. Thank you. Now we trust his work and I'm sure he will do whatever is necessary to preserve the material. But I just thought I would ask in case there was any information regarding that in the application. Sure. That's okay. Thank you. And Bridget, this is Martha. Did you consider any other colors than the bright, bright white background? No, Martha, it's the same design I had on the previous sign. And I think, you know, because all of my business cards and my, sorry, the format I use on my documents, all kinds of, they all match at this point. And that was kind of the intent behind it was just to keep them all in line. Okay. Yeah. Well, I see that the full capital sign is also a bright white, but it really stands out to me. Yeah. Yes, I agree with you. I think we just decided because the other sign was also white that it would fit. It's not a perfect match to the law firm above, but you know, when you get into that level, they had a different sign done that I think was carved into wood. And I just feel like, you know, that was at this point, something I was willing to invest in yet. Okay. I just wanted to know. Yeah. Thanks. The one comment might be to, if the white color is a satin color rather than a gloss color, that would soften the sign and also you would maintain the contrast. Sure. Yeah. I actually have to check with John on what we came down to and the final, I'm not sure that it's even been finalized, the satin versus gloss, but I'm totally willing to do either way, whatever the committee prefers to sign. The satin is good because less subject to reflection and glare that makes reading the sign hard. Okay. Do any members have any other comments, questions or suggestions? No. Not for me. Okay. No. Yes. Okay. Then we can go through the criteria. There's a criteria sheet for signs in the design control overlay district. Number one, the size, location, color, texture, lighting and material of all exterior signs within the design review overlay district shall be compatible with the building and structures of the site and surrounding properties. That's acceptable. Where appropriate, signing shall respect the original sign placement and sign bands on historic structures, acceptable. If a building has multiple tenants, there shall be consistency and placement and size among the signs. That's acceptable. It is recommended that sign placement be centered over building entries. Obviously in this location, the location of the sign is acceptable. Sign installation shall minimize damage to character defining materials, acceptable because a mounting is done in the mortar joints. And again, that's reiterated in the following. In masonry buildings, fasteners shall be in the mortar joints, acceptable. Sign design, color and typography shall respect historic precedents where appropriate. And shall be the appropriate scale for existing and new buildings, acceptable. Sign support structures shall be compatible with the building architecture and must not be overly complex or dominant in and of themselves, that's acceptable. And the only recommendation is the white color, white background color, be a satin finish to minimize glare. And reflection, all in favor of the applications, speak your names. This is Martha, I say yes. Liz, yes. And Steve, yes. So the application has passed and I'll let you describe the next step. So Bridget, we will scan this recommendation form and email it to you because there is a recommendation on it. As long as you agree with that, sign it, scan it back to us, just the signed part and then we'll issue the permit. Great, thank you, Meredith. Thank you, everyone, I appreciate it. You're welcome, Bridget. Thank you for being on tonight. Yes, thank you for coming and good luck with your project. Thank you. And good luck at the new office. Thank you so much. Okay, bye. Bye. Again, Langdon Street will be, the application will be continued. And next is to approve the meeting minutes from November the 15th. Does anybody have any comment or suggestion regarding the minutes? This is Martha, I'll move to approve them the way they're written. Second, Eric. All in favor of the minutes, speak your names. Eric, yes. Martha. Yes, yes. And Steve, yes. So the minutes are approved. Does anyone have any other business or anything to add at this point? Yes, I'll say Merry Christmas to all of you. Yes, and to all of you as well. Thank you. We will see you all in the new year. So the next meeting is January 3rd. We will at least have for Langdon Street on the agenda. Don't know if we'll have anything else. We'll find out next week. And Meredith, will there be a meeting on the 17th or will that be moved to Tuesday? That's moved to Tuesday, that's on the 18th. I can resend you the annual meeting calendar. Did I not send that out to you guys? No, I think you did, but I just don't have it in front of me. Yeah, so yeah, that meeting will be on Tuesday, January 18th. Okay. If we have one, sometimes it slows down in January, we'll see. Okay, thank you. Thank you. If there's nothing else at this point, do I hear a motion to adjourn? Somos says Eric. I second it. This is Martha. All in favor of adjournment, speak your names. Eric. Martha. Liz. And Steve. So the meeting is adjourned. Thank you all for coming. Thank you everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.