Board of Architectural Review

127 Center Street South Town of Vienna Vienna, Virginia 22180 p: 703.255.6341 TTY 7111 Meeting Minutes Board of Architectural Review Thursday, August 17, 2023 7:30 PM Council Chambers - Vienna Town Hall Roll Call The Board of Architectural Review met in a regular session on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall, located at 127 Center St S, Vienna, VA 22180. Chair Mr. Baldwin called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Roll Call: Mr. Layer, Ms. van Doorn, Mr. Cheselka, and Mr. Baldwin were present. Members absent: Ms. Hanley. Staff present: Planner Sharmaine Abaied and Board Clerk Yaska Camacho Castillo. Approval of the Minutes July 20, 2023, meeting minutes and work session minutes for August 11, 2023, were accepted into the record as submitted. Regular Business: Town of Vienna Page 1 Printed on 9/22/2023 Board of Architectural Review Meeting Minutes August 17, 2023 BAR23-422 Tobacco Lion - 512 Maple Ave W - Sign Item No. 1: Request for approval of a facade sign for Tobacco Lion, located at 512 Maple Ave W, Docket No. PF-1054978-BAR, in the C-1 Local Commercial zoning district, filed by Syed Zaidi, Azdar Inc., project contact. Applicants Present: Syed Zaidi – 512 Maple Ave W, Business Owner. This item was deferred last month for the sign's color, placement, and dimension. The applicant, Mr. Zaidi, has revised the size from 60 square feet to 20 square foot sign. He presented the board with two options for the canopy sign. One option displays the wording in white and the second one in blue. The applicant stated he preferred the blue option. Mr. Baldwin asked if the blue option would have lighted channel letters. The applicant stated it could be an option but would rather keep it off to save electricity. He will see how it looks, and if it looks nicer, he will keep it on. With no further comments or questions, a motion was in order. Mr. Cheselka made a motion to approve the facade sign for Tobacco Lion, located at 512 Maple Ave W, Docket No. PF-1054978-BAR, in the C-1 Local Commercial zoning district, in the blue color as presented. Motion: Mr. Cheselka Second: Ms. van Doorn Vote: 4-0 Absent: 1 Motion Carried BAR23-423 HBC Tax & Accounting - 360 Maple Ave W Suite D - Sign Item No 2: Request for approval of a façade sign for HBC Tax & Accounting, located at 360 Maple Ave W Ste D, Docket No. PF-1077526-BAR, in the C-1 Local Commercial zoning district, filed by Shamim Iqbal, HBC Tax & Accounting, Inc., business owner. Applicants Present: Shamim Iqbal - 360 Maple Ave W, Business Owner. Mr. Iqbal is proposing a 24-square-foot facade sign for the outside of the building. He stated that the frame was already in place and would only replace the sign. All board members were pleased with the sign. Mr. Baldwin said that the sign goes well with the other signs on the building and that the type and style of the font have a professional look. With no further comments or questions, a motion was in order. Ms. van Doorn made a motion to approve the request for a façade sign for HBC Tax & Accounting, located at 360 Maple Ave W Ste D, Docket No. PF-1077526-BAR, in the C-1 Local Commercial zoning district. Motion: Ms. van Doorn Second: Mr. Layer Vote: 4-0 Absent 1 Motion Carried Town of Vienna Page 2 Printed on 9/22/2023 Board of Architectural Review Meeting Minutes August 17, 2023 BAR23-424 Commonwealth Home Design - 208 Dominion Rd NE - Wall Mural Item No 3: Request for approval of a Mural for Commonwealth Home Design, located at 208 Dominion Rd NE, Docket No. PF-1077876-BAR, in the CM Limited Industrial zoning district, filed by Susan Pierce, Commonwealth Home Design, project contact. Applicant Present: Susan Pierce – 208 Dominion Rd NE, Business Owner. Ms. Pierce provided some background information about herself and her business. She moved to Vienna when she was one year old. She stated that she has been at her current business location for nineteen (19) years and has been running business in Vienna for thirty-seven years (37). The family is so invested in the community that her dad still lives in the house she grew up in. The applicant stated she is happy that Vienna has a Public Arts Commission in its efforts to beautify the town. She believes the town must be lifted from its 1970s brown brick phase. As an architect, aesthetics is essential to her, and she thinks that an excellent way to move the beautification process is by introducing color and vibrancies to the town. Ms. Pierce discussed other murals in town, one being the train mural on Dominion Road. She said that the train mural is in a highly visible area that can be seen from multiple locations. The mural is still in great condition after (24) twenty-four years. She stated that the inspiration for a mural came about three years ago when someone suggested having a mural on the blank wall of her building. A few months later, a post from the Vienna Foodies website was forwarded to her. The post asked for a building owner in Vienna who had a blank wall that could be used for a mural, and she immediately responded to the inquiry. The message of the proposed mural is for the community to continue working together to support food security in the town. Ms. Pierce stated that they have partnered up with Rustic Love, who have supported Vienna restaurants throughout COVID-19 while continuing to raise funds for food insecurity in the immediate area. Their efforts still bring critical awareness and coalesce Vienna residents as a whole community in addressing food insecurity. If the mural is approved, the fundraising will be ongoing until March. The mural painting is planned for April to May 2024, when weather conditions are most conducive. The theme is Hearts and Home because it embodies Vienna as a genuinely loving, beautiful, nurturing community in the metro area. The exact production dates are to be determined. The mural reveal is planned to be around the time of Viva Vienna. Ms. Pierce mentioned those who have been part of the mural project. Ms. Cousins from the Public Arts Commission, also the Director of the Vienna Arts Society, was the primary art and logistics consultant throughout the planning of the mural. Ms. James, the Director of the Vienna Business Association, has helped move the project forward, particularly in the fundraising area. Ms. Michelle Connors, the Director of Rustic Love, whom they partnered with for this project, and Ms. Teresa Ahmad, the muralist who has implemented many murals during her artistic career, some of which are in Vienna. After reviewing the application and the samples that the applicant provided, the board had the following questions/suggestions: Town of Vienna Page 3 Printed on 9/22/2023 Board of Architectural Review Meeting Minutes August 17, 2023 Mr. Baldwin asked what the inspiration for the red house on the proposed mural was. Ms. Pierce responded that it was a house she liked. She provided the muralist with a picture, who copied the photo into the design. Ms. van Doorn wondered if the mural was significant to the building or the town. After a brief discussion, Ms. Pierce stated that the mural was significant to the building. Ms. van Doorn asked if the conduits would be painted, and the applicant said yes. There was clarification on the dimensions of the mural. Mr. Layer stated that he believes the context is more rustic, and the hearts on the mural take after the rustic signs in town, which qualifies as criteria for relevance to the town, to which the applicant agreed. He suggested adding a sky and an additional house to give the mural a home and heart context. There was a discussion about how the mural would be seen from different angles. Mr. Cheselka stated he liked the proposed mural. He commented on how the muralist must have had her reasons for selecting the artwork and the colors she did. He believes the mural will make the building look bright and cheerful and believes that the mural has a historical connection to the town. Mr. Baldwin asked what the base color for the side of the building was. He wondered if it was yellow or green. It was confirmed that the color was green, and the applicant would leave it as is. He then asked if the mural would only take seven (7) days to be completed (as stated in the application). Ms. Pierce responded that the muralist plans on having volunteers and the community members do the parts that do not require a ladder, so she is assuming that will speed up the process. The discussion continued. Mr. Baldwin asked why they decided bright red for the house on the mural. Ms. Pierce stated that the muralist copied every detail from the photo she was provided onto the mural. Mr. Baldwin wondered if the house was in Vienna, to which the applicant said no, it was outside the town's limits and built to look historic. Mr. Cheselka commented on how he thinks the red house gives the mural a pop and it lights up the whole wall. Ms. Peggy James, the director of the Vienna Business Association, expressed how beautiful the mural will be. She said the hearts on the mural represent the community coming together since COVID, and the red house on the mural is a Commonwealth design home. She mentioned how nervous she was prior to the presentation because she knew that murals are taken seriously by the board. Ms. James stated that the mural's location is dull and non-engaging. The mural will be a great addition to the Town of Vienna. Mr. Cheselka made a motion to approve the request for a Mural for Commonwealth Home Design, located at 208 Dominion Rd NE, Docket No. PF-1077876-BAR, in the CM Limited Industrial zoning district, as presented. Motion: Mr. Cheselka Second: Ms. van Doorn Vote: 4-0 Absent: 1 Motion Carried Town of Vienna Page 4 Printed on 9/22/2023 Board of Architectural Review Meeting Minutes August 17, 2023 Meeting Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:06 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Yaska Camacho Castillo Board Clerk THE TOWN OF VIENNA IS COMMITTED TO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STANDARDS. TRANSLATION SERVICES, ASSISTANCE OR ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS FROM PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE TO BE REQUESTED NOT LESS THAN 3 WORKING DAYS BEFORE THE DAY OF THE EVENT. PLEASE CALL (703) 255-6304, OR 711 VIRGINIA RELAY SERVICE FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED. Town of Vienna Page 5 Printed on 9/22/2023