Vienna board approves most sign applications, OKs EV chargers and defers church monument sign

The Town of Vienna Board of Architectural Review on March 19 approved a series of storefront and monument signs, granted conditional approval for a wall sign and tenant panel for a new nail salon, and cleared plans for EV chargers on property owned by Navy Federal Credit Union. The board deferred one church monument‑sign application so the applicant could revise mounting, color and seam placement and return with samples.

The decisions affect properties across Vienna’s commercial corridors, including 374 Maple Avenue East, 120 Church Street NE, 107 Center Street North, 121 Maple Avenue West, and two Navy Federal sites. The approvals generally carried conditions directing applicants to work with staff on final materials, color samples, mounting details and scaled renderings.

Applicants described modest design changes or corrections to existing installations. Patty Papworth, representing Lisa Matthews for 374 Maple Avenue East, confirmed a typographical correction in the business name and presented a tenant‑panel design that the board agreed should match neighboring turquoise panels; a board member moved to approve the item and the motion passed.

Faye Wang, who identified herself as representing the Chinese Church of Virginia (CCCVA), asked to replace the inlaid concrete lettering on the church monument at 541 Marshall Road SW. Board members said the proposed thin aluminum backer and acrylic letters risked looking temporary; they suggested alternatives such as inlaying panels, softening the backer color to match the mortar or brick, concealing fasteners, and consulting a mason. "We just changed the name, and nothing changed about the monument and other structures, only for the name," Wang said. The board deferred the application and asked staff to provide written recommendations (color, mounting method, height and seam placement) before the applicant returns.

Mac Castles, representing the team for 120 Church Street NE, explained the sign being presented was already installed and is being regularized after a zoning violation. "This is to correct a zoning violation," a board member said; based on the photo in the record the board approved the existing sign as submitted.

For 107 Center Street North, Chong Huynh, a manager for the proposed Nailbox by Savant, described a wall sign and tenant panel for a new nail salon. Board members asked the applicant to increase white space between tenant panels, make the letter height consistent with the neighboring Palm Beach Tan sign and verify on‑site dimensions so letters are not crammed. The board approved the application conditioned on submittal of revised renderings for staff review.

Lisa Richardson, owner of Gilded Pet Spa & Boutique (121 Maple Ave. W), presented gold‑lettered signage and pink‑and‑white awnings. Richardson provided a material sample she called "gold nugget" and said the primary façade sign would be illuminated. The board debated whether a black tenant‑panel background would be cohesive with surrounding signs and cautioned that black awnings can fade. A motion approving the signs carried with the recommendation that the tenant‑panel frame be painted a consistent charcoal or black and that the applicant provide color/lighting samples and a revised rendering. Staff advised a lighting limit (Kelvin) of 3,000 for facade illumination as a typical condition.

Navy Federal Credit Union’s plans to add ChargePoint dual‑port EV chargers at 1007 Electric Avenue SE were approved. Tim Markle, Navy Federal’s project engineer, said the company intends to start with about six chargers of the CP‑6000 model and that the station layout would use a 6‑inch curb and wheel stops. "We do not wish to put the bollards in," Markle said; the board discussed the tradeoffs and asked the applicant to consider pushing wheel stops forward to provide more buffer. The motion to approve the EV‑charging installation passed.

At the Navy Federal campus, two new entrance monumental signs at 901 Follin Lane SE were approved as presented. Grace Lee of Navy Federal said the design matched existing campus signs and would indicate the new entrance numbers.

The chair and staff told applicants that, where the board requested changes, staff would follow up by email with a written list of recommendations and that revised renderings or material samples could be cleared administratively without the applicant returning to the full board.

During "other business," staff deputy director Kelly O’Brien (standing in for Ms. Abayad) reviewed draft lighting and signage guidelines and said the Community Sustainability Committee and planning commission will see related materials. Board members asked staff to prepare a short memo capturing the board's concerns—particularly wariness about electronic messaging centers—and requested a work session with economic‑development staff and other stakeholders before code changes are finalized.

The board adjourned after ordering staff follow‑ups and scheduling forthcoming work sessions on signage and lighting guidelines.

Votes at a glance

- PFD‑1973466‑BAR (374 Maple Ave. E, tenant panels): Approved as submitted (motion carried).
- PFD‑2044292‑BAR (541 Marshall Rd. SW, church monument): Deferred for redesign and staff recommendations on color, mounting, height and seam placement.
- PFD‑2031388‑BAR (120 Church St. NE, correct existing sign): Approved to regularize installed sign.
- PFD‑2053869‑BAR (107 Center St. N, Nailbox by Savant wall sign/tenant panel): Approved with conditions (resubmitted renderings to staff for sizing/spacing).
- PFD‑1986462‑BAR (121 Maple Ave. W, Gilded Pet Spa signs/awnings): Approved with recommendations that tenant panel frame be painted a consistent charcoal/black and that applicant provide samples and revised renderings (one board member recorded opposition).
- PFD‑1738347‑BAR (1007 Electric Ave. SE, EV charging stations): Approved as submitted; applicant to consider wheel‑stop placement.
- PFD‑2051127‑BAR (901 Follin Ln. SE, monumental signs): Approved as submitted.

What’s next

Staff will email each applicant the board’s recommended changes and will review revised renderings or material samples for administrative approval where appropriate. The board asked staff to coordinate a work session on draft signage and lighting guidelines and to prepare a memo for the planning commission documenting the board’s concerns about electronic messaging centers.