TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Katherine Doherty, City Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Authorizing Advertisement of the Wayfinding Phase I Vehicle Parking and Pedestrian Sign Improvement Project for Construction Bids, and Discussion Revisiting the Street Sign Color within the Signage and Wayfinding Program (Public Works Director Lee).
(Estimated Time: 45 Mins.)
A) AUTHORIZE
B) DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Line
_________________________________________________________
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the advertisement of the Wayfinding Phase I Vehicle Parking and Pedestrian Sign Improvement Project (Phase I Project) for construction bids; and
2. Discuss the street sign color within the Signage and Wayfinding Program.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
In 2014, staff received direction to evaluate Manhattan Beach sign styles and types, and to develop a cohesive signage program that would better establish a citywide identity. Such signage and wayfinding includes directional, parking and pedestrian signage, monument signs and banners, street signs, murals, and related identity branding.
In 2015, Selbert Perkins Design (SPD) was retained to assess the City’s current information and wayfinding signage, propose and implement a Public Outreach Plan, recommend design standards for wayfinding elements that are reflective of the City’s identity, provide three Signage Program themed options, and develop a master plan based on the City Council-selected design theme. SPD summarized the City’s existing signage program and presented three design themes for consideration for a new wayfinding signage program at the October 15, 2015 City Council meeting.
On October 3, 2017, SPD re-summarized the City’s existing signage program and presented three design themes for City Council consideration for the wayfinding signage program. At that time, the City Council selected the “Beach Classic” design theme for background imagery for the Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan (Master Plan). Following the selection of the Beach Classic design theme by City Council, SPD continued work on the Master Plan including an extensive public outreach program.
On June 5, 2018, staff presented the Master Plan and prototype to City Council for consideration of final approval. City Council directed staff to make minor revisions to the Master Plan and deferred its approval pending an update to the City logo, a separate effort undertaken during that time.
On November 19, 2019, City Council approved the Master Plan and appropriated funds for a Phase I Project.
On July 18, 2023, City Council discussed the Wayfinding Master Plan and the Phase I Project and provided direction on updates to the Master Plan, which also included modifications to the Phase I Project.
The designer, SPD, was re-engaged in October 2023 to incorporate City Council’s direction in the Master Plan and complete revisions to the design of the Phase I Project, addressing both staff comments and City Council direction.
On October 17, 2023, City Council requested a discussion to revisit the street sign color within the Signage and Wayfinding Program as identified in the Master Plan.
DISCUSSION:
City Council Direction on July 18, 2023
City Council discussed the Wayfinding and Signage Master Plan and provided direction in five distinct motions summarized below:
1. Approved the Master Plan font to be Spartan MB.
2. Approved the pier symbol in the Master Plan to be City’s pier symbol consistent with Manhattan Beach branding and approved street name signs to be double-sided signs.
3. Approved the design and locations of business directory signage for the Downtown and North Manhattan Beach Business Improvement Districts and directed that the business directory signage be included in the City’s Phase I Project.
4. Directed the size of the new signage to be like-for-like with current sign sizing, and directed staff to return to City Council with revised designs prior to implementation of any large monument and identity signs.
5. Determined that this activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Phase I Project Implementation
The scope of the Phase I Project includes only vehicle parking and pedestrian directional signage and does not include any street name sign work. SPD has finalized revisions to the Phase I Project plans and specifications (attached), incorporating City Council direction that applies to this phase including the correct font, pier symbol, and sizing, and including the business district directory signs. The Phase I Project, as amended, is ready to advertise for construction bids. If authorized to proceed, staff anticipates that the construction contract would be considered by the City Council in June 2024, with construction starting in September 2024 and concluding around January 2025.
Staff recommends advertising the project for bids now without the large freestanding parking identity signs and offsite directional signs previously identified for implementation in this phase, as these signs are the subject of further evaluation by City Council. The balance of the Phase I Project is primarily a replacement of existing signage with new signage, as approved in the Master Plan, and is reasonably consistent with the like-for-like direction of the City Council.
SPD is currently working to address the approved changes to the Master Plan document and is preparing options for future discussion on the monument signs, large identity signs, and sign sizes.
Street Sign Color
The background color identified in the Master Plan for both overhead and pole mounted street signs is white. A motion was introduced during the July 18, 2023 City Council meeting to change the street name sign background color as blue instead of maintaining the white color as specified in the Master Plan. The motion did not pass.
City Council requested a discussion to revisit the background color for street name signs during the October 17, 2023 City Council meeting. Staff recommends that City Council discuss and provide direction.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Extensive public outreach, consisting of online surveys, email surveys, community member interviews, multiple City Council meeting agenda items, multiple Commission meetings and Business Community meetings were held spanning June 2015 to May 2018, leading to the approval of the Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan.
Public outreach related to the proposed business directories was conducted through “look and see” events in conjunction with the Downtown Business + Professional Association on July 11, 2023 and the North Manhattan Beach Business Improvement District on July 15, 2023. The events were noticed through the City’s social media and postcards.
Targeted outreach will occur before the start of construction for residents and businesses located near and/or adjacent to construction activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
For the revisions to the Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan, the City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary at this time.
For the Phase I Project, a project-specific environmental review recommendation will be provided when staff returns to City Council to seek an award of construction contract. It is anticipated that the replacement of signs on a like-for-like in kind basis does not require a Coastal Development Permit.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Plans and Specifications (Web-Link Provided)
2. Location Map
3. PowerPoint Presentation