SR-401-030 (3)
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
MERITORIOUS SIGN TASK FORCE
FINAL SIGN CRITERIA
AUGUST 5, 1999 RTKL ASSOCIATES, INC
Santa Monica Meritorious Sign Criteria
Page 2
SIGN CRITERIA CATEGORIES
The goal of the Meritorious Sign Task Force is to ensure that signs of historical
significance to the City of Santa Monica are not lost. By looking at all non-conforming
signs through a historical overlay, our process will be similar to the designation of certain
buildings as landmarks. In essence, the signs that played a key role in Santa Monica’s
history should be saved.
Because of this historical point-of-view, most signs will fall into the first of two categories:
“Historically Significant”. This category considers signs built prior to 1970. The second
category, “Contemporary Culture”, allows for the possibility that newer signs (1970-1985)
may have achieved a position of significant importance in the community.
CATEGORY 1.HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT
Signs erected or created before 1970 which are representative of significant sign-
making techniques or styles of a historic era will be considered meritorious. Signs
may also be considered meritorious which represent entities or establishments that
were an important part of Santa Monica’s history and culture.
Renovation or Modification of Meritorious Signs
If the character defining features of a meritorious sign are altered, the sign will be
removed from the meritorious list and will be required to come into compliance with
the current Sign Ordinance. However, the owner may choose to restore parts of the
sign back to original working order (i.e. replacement of neon tubes).
CATEGORY 2. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
This category will consider signs of exceptional significance erected or created
between 1970-1985 that have been proven to be an important part of Santa
Monica’s recent history of eclectic development. As Santa Monica has transformed
from “sleepy beach town” to a diverse mix of businesses, cultures and economies,
the art of sign making has also evolved. Styles have moved away from the uniform
cabinet signs of the 60’s and 70’s into more complex and interesting solutions,
integrating classic sign making techniques with contemporary design and
innovative materials. As in category #1, signs will be considered both for their
technical excellence as well as for the historical importance of the business they
represent.
Renovation or Modification of Meritorious Signs
If the character defining features of a meritorious sign are altered, the sign will be
removed from the meritorious list and will be required to come into compliance with
the current Sign Ordinance.
Santa Monica Meritorious Sign Criteria
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PROCESS
FINDINGS
Signs should be considered for their relationship to the urban context in which they are
located. Issues such as surrounding building character, scale, and types of uses will help
to determine urban appropriateness. Additionally, the physical and historical integrity of a
sign must also be maintained, in that the current look of the sign must be consistent with
the original design’s style.
The Meritorious Sign Review Board (MSRB) must make one of the following findings in
order to designate a sign as meritorious.
?
Visually Significant Signs
The sign, as an object, is aesthetically pleasing and contributes positively to the
visual image of Santa Monica. Categories of consideration include:
Signs that possess a uniqueness and charm because they
Antique Signs:
are visually aged, or have become representative of an era in Santa
Monica’s history (See Appendix).
Classic examples of craftsmanship or style of
Techniques/Craftsmanship:
the period when it was constructed using materials in an exemplary way.
Sign is architecturally integrated into the structure, (as
Integral Character:
was often done in Revival, Deco and Moderne periods).
?
The Signs’ Landmark Quality
Independent of its appearance, the sign plays an integral role in defining the
historic development of Santa Monica. Categories of consideration include:
Signs that are seen as
Signs Considered as Landmarks Themselves:
“Icons” in Santa Monica’s history.
Signage that is a
Signs on Buildings that are Designated as Landmarks:
part of, or representative of, buildings that have been designated as
historic landmarks.
Santa Monica Meritorious Sign Criteria
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DESIGNATION AND APPEALS
Once the Meritorious Sign Criteria has been approved, the designation and appeals
process will proceed as follows:
1.The MSRB will review non comforming signs at a series of public hearings
2.The public will have the opportunity for input regarding consideration of
individual signs
3.Meritorious Sign list will be created by MSRB
4.The list will be mailed to all tenants and property owners with nonconforming
signs
5.Opportunity for public to appeal to City Council for consideration of additions
and deletions from list
Santa Monica Meritorious Sign Criteria
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APPENDIX
Background
Santa Monica has a history that is reflected (in part) by the character of its signs. The
intent of the criteria is to provide a means by which to distinguish those signs that define
the key points in the city’s unique history. Santa Monica’s history can be described in a
series of development “waves” dating back to the middle of the 19 Century. Each of these
th
waves had a distinct character reflective of the era in which it occurred. Signage has been
produced in each of these eras that, when done exceptionally well, is worthy of meritorious
distinction.
The First Wave:
Resort/Commuter Suburb Era: 1870- 1920
Most of the signage from this era is lost, but its influence can be seen in some of the newer
signage seen around town, especially near the beach. Techniques include hand painted
letters and shapes, with classic block letters, sometimes in later signs incandescent lights
were integrated.
Early history defines the City’s role as a beach/resort community after attempts to locate
LA’s port in Santa Monica were thwarted by San Pedro. The first resorts were started in
1870 as tents along the beach accessible by horse drawn carriage. The Southern Pacific
Railroad ended near the Northern portion of Santa Monica’s Beach allowing a resort
cluster of hotels and baths to be built. The Santa Fe Railroad traveled from Inglewood to
the Southern Portion of the Beach, and Abbott Kinney with Francis Ryan built the
successful Ocean Park Resort and Casino in the early 1890’s at Strand Street. Businesses
and retail establishments clustered around the Casino and included grocery stores, hotels,
restaurants, and baths. By 1900, the speed of the trains on the Red Line allowed early
Santa Monicans the ability to commute to work in downtown LA and Hollywood. Stars and
tycoons came to Santa Monica’s Beachfront to build weekend bungalows from the
Palisades to Ocean Park. As newspapers and periodicals popularized the stars with the
public, Santa Monica became well known as a Southern California beachfront community.
The Second Wave:
Early Motor Era: 1920- 1945
Design from this era was defined by moderne and art deco styles. Signage and architecture
reflected this trend, emphasizing the same“streamlining” and expressions of movement
typified by automobile and train design. Neon was introduced in this era, with early
applications on movie houses and on popular business establishments along major
streets.
Route 66 was opened in 1926, beginning in Chicago and ending at the Santa Monica Pier.
Weary travelers coming thousands of miles from the East and Midwest would vacation
along Santa Monica’s beaches or seek new residence at any number of the many bungalow
developments within the city or the very limited number of pre-war apartment buildings.
These visitors would all first stop at the Santa Monica Pier. With its colorful design and
bright neon, the pier sign was visible from many blocks away and became an icon of the
Southern California version of “the good life”.
Santa Monica Meritorious Sign Criteria
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The Third Wave:
Post War Era: 1945- 1970
Modernity, readability, and informality were emphasized in building and sign designs from
this era. Advances in engineering allowed for longer and larger unbroken spans of
material, integrating more glass and steel. With the advent of television and Technicolor,
Commercial signs became larger and more garish than their predecessors with extensive
use of neon, bright colors, and eye-catching designs to be seen at speed from behind the
wheel of a car.
GI’s back from their tour of duty came to take advantage of cheap real estate and
proximity to the Defense Industry. Many single detached homes were torn down and
replaced by large apartment buildings. This was especially true along major corridors of
the City including Wilshire, Ocean, and Santa Monica Blvd. In 1966, the opening of the
Santa Monica Freeway further changed development patterns in the City. Advances in
automobile design, safety, and affordability allowed the public to embrace tourism, making
the “family vacation” an American post war institution. A glut of hotels and motels,
nightclubs, and restaurants opened up in Santa Monica along major streets to attract
vacationers touring Southern California.
The Fourth Wave:
Eclectic Era: 1970-1985
Santa Monica’s development in recent years reflects unparalleled variety and diversity in
terms of building and signage design. Signs from the era can be pedestrian or auto scaled,
dimensional or flat, highly crafted or simple. Often the blending of cultural references and
the juxtaposition of styles and techniques are used to create impact. Techniques are
widely varied and can include: use of metal, wood, or plastic, incandescent, fluorescent, or
projected light, channel letters, raised letters, applied letters, exposed or covered faces,
dimensional surfaces, exposed neon, hand painted lettering, etc….
The wide variety of land uses within Santa Monica points to the City’s growth into
prominence as a new regional center. Downtown commercial establishments are diverse;
including offices, banks, and convenience retail establishments. Materials suppliers, big
box retailers, auto repair establishments and the like reside comfortably and equitably
with medium and high-density residential areas along major commercial spines. Adjacent
to commercial areas, primarily low-density residential neighborhoods continue to thrive.
Major growth corridors are attracting a diverse number of new uses that complement the
existing mix, including “think tank” and creative type office clusters, arts and light
manufacturing areas, hospitality, and retail/entertainment areas. Review of signage from
this era will have to be carefully considered in terms of quality to assure the eclecticism
and vitality from this era is substantially represented.
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