The paint on the exterior of Benefit Cosmetics store in downtown Naperville can stay pink after the city's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously sided with property owners who appealed a violation to city design standards. (City of Naperville)

A downtown Naperville cosmetics store can stay pink after the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously sided with property owners who appealed a violation to city design standards.

Chris and Susan Finck, who own the building at 212 and 214 S. Main St., were cited in August by city code enforcement for violating 2011 downtown Naperville design standards that prohibit more than 25% of the facade accented with bright colors.

In a letter to the commission, the owners said they were unaware of the city’s regulations.

Because the commission reviews all appeals of the design standards, decisions by the group are considered final, unless petitioner appeals the commission’s ruling before the City Council.

Commissioners Oriana Van Someren and Whitney Robbins suggested it’s not the fresh coat of paint but the old, weathered awning that detracts from the storefront.

“I think the awning looks awful. That’s what stands out to me,” Van Someren said.

“I agree with the awning. That was the one thing that I noticed,” Robbins said.

Robbins said she doesn’t have an issue with the pink.

With the city embracing more color in downtown murals, Robbins said the council needs to reconsider what is acceptable, adding that existing buildings painted 20-30 years ago are looking so severely outdated and are more of an eyesore than the pink facade.

What also resonated with Robbins, she said, was the hardship downtown businesses faced over the past several years.

The owners said the businesses within their building suffered during COVID-19 shutdowns and when the roadways and sidewalks were torn up for the city’s streetscape project.

They also said the floors and carpet at the stores within their buildings were damaged by the tar and asphalt customers brought in on their shoes.

Despite paying $1,200 to try to clean the carpet, the owners said, because of inflation, it will cost $8,000 to replace the $6,000 carpet installed two years ago.

Robbins said in their fight to survive, all of the businesses are looking for creative ways to stand out in the crowd, and color is how they’re doing it.

“I think as a city who wants economic development growth, we need to embrace that,” Robbins said.

Susan Finck told the commission the storefront siding was painted by the tenant to match Benefit Cosmetics’ new pink corporate colors.

In their letter, the owners noted the siding had been yellow for the last 13 years. But when Benefit renewed its lease for another 10 years, the company requested the faded yellow be repainted pink, something that was occurring at all its stores, Chris and Susan Finck said.

Community planner Sara Kopinski, who is with the city’s Transportation, Engineering and Development department, told the commission the violation was issued after the city received a complaint.

She said staff didn’t authorize the new paint color and found the color pink was not in compliance with the downtown design standards, a companion to the Naperville Downtown 2030 plan that guides the appearance of downtown buildings.

While the exterior of the buildings must be a neutral color, the code allows darker or brighter accent colors to draw attention to details in the architectural ornamentation or doorways.

No more than 25% of the facade, excluding windows and doors, can be an accent color.

Van Someren said the loophole is in the interpretation of the architectural style because in the context of the cosmetic store, she said that would only include the horizontal slats of wood that run under a window.

“We’re talking about such a small space,” she said.

Van Someren said while downtown has a nice manicured look throughout, the city needs to provide flexibility for companies that want to embrace their corporate color image.

“I know the council decided to stick with the same palette, but some of those old colors I think are uglier than things that we’re seeing coming about,” Van Someren said.

Commissioner Anthony Losurdo said across the street at 217 S. Main St. is a neutral building, but Nike’s windows are loaded with colorful murals.

After driving around downtown and seeing the various storefronts with color, Losurdo said he doesn’t have an issue with the pink.

“You know, maybe a year ago I might have, but today I agree. We’ve got businesses struggling out there trying to make it,” Losurdo said.