MOUNT VERNON — The Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved a master sign plan for Heartland Commerce Park (HCP) at its June 13 meeting.
The master sign plan does not include building signage because that is interior to the property and not visible to a public street.
“So there won’t be high up on the building company name signs that are brightly lit,” Area Development Foundation President Jeff Gottke said. “Those will be closer to the ground and intended more for truck or pedestrian directional signage.”
Because HCP is a planned development, there is leeway regarding signs. Gottke said planning officials “married” the city’s current and updated sign code with existing signage at the industrial park.
“So we’re not asking for some radically different signage. It’s things that exist already,” Gottke told the commission.
The HCP Property Owners Association will update the signs as businesses change.
The commission’s approval included a provision giving the city’s development services manager authority to approve changes to the Sugar Street entrance if requested by the Mount Vernon fire chief.
Following are the features of the master sign plan:
Chestnut Street
The complex’s main entrance is at 525 W. Chestnut St.
An 8-foot sign featuring HCP branding perpendicular to West Chestnut will be slightly higher than the city code. Gottke said the added height is needed so parked vehicles do not obstruct the sign.
The entrance will include a push button-activated entry gate and camera. A second sign adjacent to the gate will highlight the HCP logo and company names with directional arrows.
Gates 3 and 6
Gates 3 and 6 will feature directional signage, either “One Way” or “Do Not Enter.”
Some signs will be on 6-foot poles; some might be on a brick pillar.
Sugar Street
Sugar Street will be a major pedestrian entrance for employees parking in the Sandusky Street lots. It will showcase an archway connected to two pillars on either side of Sugar Street.
The entrance incorporates the HCP logo, low black fencing and landscaping. The archway will be higher than the city code typically allows because it spans Sugar Street. Additionally, fire trucks and safety vehicles must be able to enter.
Chestnut-Sandusky Street
The northwest corner of the Chestnut and Sandusky intersection will feature a low wall with HCP-branded and company-name signs. The signs will be similar in size to those at the industrial park at Ohio 13 and Commerce Drive.
Southbound Sandusky
HCP officials will eventually install signage on the north side of the complex, similar to the Chestnut-Sandusky corner.
Gottke said it could go in the parking lot on the south side of Burgess and Sandusky or on a parcel the land bank owns on the north side of Burgess.
Additional HCP features
Work has commenced on the Sandusky Street parking lots, which will get all new surfaces with asphalt.
“We will try and make it look the Gay Street parking lots, with the black fencing, brick pillars, lights and landscaping,” Gottke said.
The Chestnut-Sandusky Street corner will become an employee plaza for an outdoor work/break area.
“We hope to have some sort of historical kiosk that will talk about the history of the property,” Gottke said. “The design of the walking trail and the features in that plaza will roughly be the outline of a Coreliss engine, which was produced on the property for many, many years.
“So that will be a little throw-back to history,” he added.
Gilchrist Estates
Commission members also approved the final plat for Gilchrist Estates Phase 2.
Chad VanSickle of Diversified Engineering said Schlabach Builders is ready to install curbs and base asphalt for Phase 2. The storm sewer and stormwater ponds are in, and crews are finishing the water line.
The city will hold off accepting the road for Phase 1 until Schlabach completes Phase 2 construction.
A tree-planting agreement is in place.
The commission’s approval authorizes Schlabach to start selling lots.
