Wellington’s Architectural Review Board approved design elements Wednesday, Jan. 25 for a new Mediterranean restaurant on State Road 7, as well as the daycare center component of the Lotis Wellington project, also on SR 7.
The board approved signage for the new Olive U Mediterranean Grill location in front of the Mall at Wellington Green. The local chain has several other locations in Palm Beach County. The Wellington store is in front of Whole Foods Market just south of the Chili’s restaurant in a new building along SR 7. Two other businesses, BurgerFi and Paradise Grills, are already operating in the building.
The discussion was focused on the two signs requested by Olive U, both of which did not conform to the code.
For the main sign, while its overall area was under the code’s allowance, its height of 45 inches is 16 inches larger than the code allows. A similar sign deviation was requested for the secondary wall sign at the back of the building.
Village staff agreed that the sign requests were proportionate with the overall wall façade. The request for the sign deviations was approved unanimously.
Also at the meeting, the board approved the plans for Kids R Kids Daycare at Lotis Wellington, also with two wall sign deviations.
Kids R Kids Daycare is located in the commercial pod at Lotis Wellington, north of Wellington Regional Medical Center on the west side of SR 7.
Plans call for a two-story building of 18,000 square feet. The design ties into the other commercial buildings in the project with a focus on earth tones. It was previously approved for one small monument sign. The request was for the two wall signs. The main sign was within the approved code, but the secondary sign request of 64 square feet was significantly larger than the code allows.
Brian Terry of Insite Studio, representing Lotis Wellington LLC, said that the larger sign was necessary because of its circular shape and the need to keep it in proportion to the building.
“We think it is a good addition and provides for some signage and identity on that building as you approach,” he said.
The board agreed, and the project was approved unanimously.
In other business:
• Board Chair Stacy Somers began the meeting with a moment of silence to remember late ARB Board Member Tom Wenham, who died Dec. 29 after six years of dedicated service on the board, along with many other roles in the community.
• The board approved a nonconforming fence for a home on Doubletree Circle in the Pinewood community. It was built by the homeowner in 2020 without the necessary permits and was cited in 2022. The four-foot fence is 124 linear feet around the pool area, but only 27.5 feet is visible from the road. It is made of wood and aluminum rail. The nonconforming fence was approved with several conditions, including raising its height several inches and planting a hedge to shield it from view.
• Finally, the board continued its ongoing conversation about the village’s approved color charts. Since the printed digital color board does not match the original swatches, village staff plans to get original swatches and continue the conversation at a future meeting.
