The Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission granted a conditional certificate of appropriateness for signage for 312 E. Third St. at the May 20 meeting held in the Rotunda.

Ali Nastah from FX Company, LLC. represented the recently-opened restaurant at the Third & Polk Building.

The approved sign features the company logo of a chicken head surrounded by red flames with “Sizzling Bites” over “Halal Grill” in smaller type. It fits within the 26.3-foot by 63-inch sign band located over the main entrance. The lettering is warm white with black outline.

Todd Chambers considered the design too large in proportion to the façade per zoning and said it also needed a pinstripe as per historic district regulations.

The applicant agreed to add the pinstripe and reduce the signage to be within historic district and zoning department standards. Originally requesting interior lit letters, the applicant agreed to red backlighting behind the channel letters pinned to the sign band, as well as utilizing the existing trio of gooseneck lamps for overhead lighting.

When informed that any warm white LED lighting be a maximum of 3,000 kelvin, Nastah replied, “Can’t get any warmer than red.”

It was stipulated by Vice Chairman Craig Evans that the applicant provide a cut sheet and scaled drawings of the revised design before having it done.

The three-story late Victorian style building, erected in 2005, is owned by Polk Street Development ASG.

The other three applicants listed on the agenda were no-shows.

The Bethlehem HCC is charged with the task of determining if new signs or other alterations to a building’s exterior would be an appropriate fit for the neighborhood in one of three designated historic districts.

Obtaining a certificate of appropriateness is only a first step for business owners and residents in a designated historic district who wish to make alterations to a building’s exterior. The commission’s recommendations are later reviewed, and then voted on by city council before any project is allowed to proceed.