DESIGN REVIEW BOARD: Criterion’s Marquee May Go LED

Pajama Sale and Bed Race Tomorrow, Volunteer Opportunities

Nov 10, 2023

BAR HARBOR—Criterion Theatre Executive Director Taylor Valarick and board member Steven Boucher discussed with members of the Design Review Board potentially changing the theater’s historic marquee to an LED sign instead of the glass letters that are currently being used. That discussion occurred Thursday afternoon, November 10.

“It is a little bit burdensome that we have to change the letters every time we have a show,” Boucher said of the marquee. The letters are fragile and have broken over the years.

Valarick compared it to the Grand’s sign, which is LED, which he said is a little more pixelated compared to what the Criterion hopes for.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel on the marquee,” Boucher said.

“I don’t want it to look like Vegas on Cottage Street,” Valarick said.

Board member Mike Rogers said he’d like to see the LED display at its proposed 8 mil rate. Each pixel would be 8 millimeters. No digital moving parts could be allowed on LED signs.

The LED sign can be made as bright as possible. The metal band currently there would have to come out, but could be simulated.

Board member Kate Macko said an important visual aspect of the existing sign is that the background is black. She’d like to keep that.

The Criterion would come back for a formal application. The sign itself is on the National Register and the town’s Appendix A in the Land Use Ordinance, which lists historic properties.

“Think of it as an exact replica, but digital,” Boucher said.

“It’s not the original sign on the building,” member Erin Cough said, and added that it’s not unusual to have LED signs on historic theaters.

POLICE STATION WINDOWS

via application packet. It is the top section of the window (The arched portion) that would be replaced with vinyl

Also on Thursday evening, Fire Chief Matt Bartlett came before the Design Review Board for changes to the exterior of 37 Firefly Lane, the town’s brick building that houses the police and fire departments. The change was unanimously approved.

“We have three windows in front of the police station that are in need of replacement,” Bartlett said.

The original glass in the top arch is custom made, which, he said, is very expensive. Instead, it would be vinyl. That area of the window arches is above the ceiling of the police department. The areas would be gray rather than glass like they are now.

“Have you asked the mice what they think about this?” Vice Chair Pancho Cole asked.

“They’re upset,” Bartlett kidded, but also the police chief won’t have snow in his office.

If the building is ever restored, the arched portion of the windows could be replaced with glass again.

POTENTIAL LAND USE ORDINANCE CHANGES

The board members also reviewed the final draft language of the Design Review Board Land Use Ordinance amendment that would go before Bar Harbor voters in June.

The amendment as currently written would:

1. Update Appendix A, a list of historic properties in the board’s purview

2. Amend a signage review definition

3. Change the process for sign review

4. Change the board’s overlay district boundaries and area names

5. Remove Appendix B and all references to Appendix B, which talks of locally significant properties in the board’s overlay district

6. Give the Planning and Code Department more time to review applications that will go before the Design Review Board.

The general explanation is as follows:

Chair Barbara Sassaman also asked for a workshop so that the board could go over all of Article 13, which is specific to the board. The first section of that article reads:

“I keep trying to get us to have a workshop about this and try to change the code,” Sassaman said.

“We are honestly trying to work the best we can and address your concern, however, there’s only so much time for us to do things,” Planning Director Michele Gagnon said.

Sassaman said that one change would be deleting three words that didn’t impact the rest of the land use ordinance. She’d like that done with the amendment going before the voters in June.

SALISBURY COVE

Cough asked why the oldest village in town, Salisbury Cove, isn’t under the Design Review Board’s purview.

“It literally has two of the oldest buildings in town,” Cough said.

“We tried and we were shot down,” Cole said. “Some of the business owners on the Planning Board strongly objected to it.”

“It is the oldest section of Bar Harbor and I think for this group, it is something we should keep pushing for,” Cough said.

The Comprehensive Planning Committee could agree with that, Gagnon told board members. There’s also no oversight in Otter Creek, which Cough also asked about. Cough would like the Comprehensive Planning Committee to add that into the plan.

Housing and Community Planner Cali Martinez said that the staff didn’t have capacity for a workshop in November or December because they are busy getting land use ordinance amendments ready for June’s warrant and suggested that a workshop occur in January.

Sassaman asked if they could meet without planning department staff.

“This Design Review document is really bad and really confusing and it’s really out of order and doesn’t make sense,” member Mike Rogers said.

The board and staff agreed that the board could have a workshop without them on Thursday, November 30 at 2 p.m.

“Take the time to figure out what you’re trying to accomplish,” Gagnon suggested. She recommended looking at their goals and policy objectives before changing things in Article 13.

UPCOMING EVENTS THIS WEEKEND:

Early Bird Pajama Sale

6:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Get up early and shop local at participating businesses to get a head start on your holiday shopping (or pick up something special just for you)! Wearing your pajamas can earn additional savings with some of the participants. Scroll down to find a list of participating locations and offers.
Raffle Alert!
Enter for a chance to win two roundtrip tickets between Bar Harbor and Boston on Cape Air! Just bring your receipts from participating shops to the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center at 2 Cottage Street before 12:00 noon on Saturday Nov. 11th.
If you have a business in Bar Harbor that would like to participate in the Early Bird Pajama Sale, Register Here.

Bar Harbor Bed Races

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Watch as teams from area businesses and organizations race decorated beds down Cottage Street. The race starts in front of The 1932 Criterion Theatre.
If you have a team that would like to participate in the Bed Races, Click Here for rules and registration.

MDI COMMUNITY BUILD!

THANKSGIVING BASKETS

Interim Town Manager Cornell Knight PHOTO: Carrie Jones

Last year, the Bar Harbor Congregational Church’s Thanksgiving Basket Project helped 175 families.

The sign-up deadline for this year is Nov. 14.

To sign up for a basket, which includes turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes and a vegetable, as well as cranberry sauce and dessert, email 29turkeybaskets@gmail.com or fill out a form at https://tinyurl.com/bddr6w6p.

The basket program is supported by several churches across Mount Desert Island, as well as numerous businesses and non-profit groups that pledge to provide specific items. Food drives held at local schools also funnel items into the program and students at Kids’ Corner and Connors Emerson help to decorate the outgoing food boxes. Finally, monetary donations help to round out any needed purchases.

Volunteers are also needed along the way and there are a number of ways to help. Donations of non-perishable items are currently being accepted in a bin at the ramp to the parking lot at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church (next to Reel Pizza). Monetary donations can be sent to the church with “Thanksgiving baskets” in the memo line. And volunteers are needed to pack (Nov. 19), deliver (Nov. 20) and clean up (Nov. 11 and Nov. 21). To learn more about volunteering email 29turkeybaskets@gmail.com.