TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Stephanie Katsouleas, Public Works Director
Prem Kumar, City Engineer
Mamerto Estepa Jr., Associate Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Master Plan for the Citywide Wayfinding Sign Program (Public Works Director Katsouleas).
a) APPROVE MASTER PLAN
b) PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR IMPLEMENTATION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Final Master Plan for the Citywide Wayfinding Signage Program (Attachment 1) and provide direction regarding implementation of the Master Plan.
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The estimate for full implementation of the Citywide Wayfinding Signage Master Plan is approximately $930,000. However, the program can be implemented in phases based on the City’s priorities and signage objectives. The estimated cost for implementation of each phase is as follows:
Phase Estimated Cost
Parking $347,184
Identity $362,515
Regulation $114,983
Amenities $51,013
Miscellaneous Expenses $52,080
Total $927,775
There is currently no funding designated for implementation of wayfinding signage. Based on City Council direction and the ultimate schedule for implementation, staff will make recommendations on a funding source and request authorization to allocate those funds within the Capital Improvement Program. Possible funding sources include Measure M, reprioritization of existing Capital Improvement Project funded projects and unreserved General Fund balances.
BACKGROUND:
The Citywide Wayfinding Signage Program is an effort to enhance the City’s identity and improve wayfinding for residents and visitors to Manhattan Beach. As shown in previous presentations to City Council and stakeholder groups, the City’s existing identification and wayfinding signage is non-uniform throughout the City. Signage types and styles vary greatly and lack a consistent style or theme.
In late 2014, staff received direction to evaluate the City’s sign styles and types, and to develop a cohesive style that could be employed citywide to better establish a city identity. Such wayfinding signage includes directional, parking and pedestrian signage, monument signs and banners, street signs, murals, etc.
The overall goals of the Citywide Wayfinding Signage Program are to:
1. Improve the ability of local residents and visitors to easily navigate within the City of Manhattan Beach, and easily find desired destinations and amenities;
2. Identify and eliminate problems with existing signage, including information gaps, confusion, redundancy, and sign clutter;
3. Tie together and build upon existing signage, where desirable, into a coordinated and consistent wayfinding signage program;
4. Increase the success and market potential for retail, dining, entertainment, economic growth and development within the City;
5. Provide functionality, attractiveness, legibility, safety, and ease of maintenance;
6. Clearly delineate City boundaries and give visitors and residents a sense of place.
In April 2015, Selbert Perkins Design was retained to facilitate this effort by assessing the City’s current information and wayfinding signage, proposing and implementing a Public Outreach Plan, recommending design standards for wayfinding elements that are reflective of the City’s identity, providing three (3) Signage Program theme options, and developing a Master Plan based on the City Council-selected design theme.
A significant amount of outreach was conducted to obtain public input and direction on the program. Outreach efforts included:
• Five (5) City Council meetings
• Three (3) Cultural Arts Commission meetings
• Three (3) North Manhattan Beach Business Improvement District meetings
• Two (2) Downtown MB Business & Professional Association meetings
• One (1) Parking & Public Improvements Commission meeting
• Online surveys on Open City Hall
• Email survey and interview of the public at random
On October 20, 2015, and again on October 3, 2017, Selbert Perkins Design presented to City Council an assessment of the City’s existing signage program and three design themes for a new wayfinding signage program. The design themes included
“Beach Classic,” modern themes, and an enhancement of existing signage. City Council ultimately selected the “Beach Classic” design theme as the basis for the Master Plan. City Council then directed staff to develop material samples in the “Beach Classic” theme; seek feedback on the sign type/material samples from City Commissions and advisory boards; and finalize the Master Plan complete with cost estimates and phasing options.
Selbert Perkins fabricated an 8-foot tall sample pedestrian wayfinding sign to showcase the qualities and benefits of the specific sign material selected (aluminum), which is graffiti-proof, weatherproof and resistant to fading and vandalism. The prototype received a host of favorable reviews from these stakeholder groups:
• Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professional Association
• North Manhattan Beach Business Improvement District
• Cultural Arts Commission
• Planning Commission
DISCUSSION:
The Master Plan for the Citywide Wayfinding Signage Program delineates all the elements, locations, costs, and phasing options for implementing the new signage. Elements include the color palette, fonts, graphic style, types of material to be used, sizing and height specifications, foundation detail, etc. Although the estimate for full implementation is $924,775, the Master Plan proposes rolling out signage in four phases as follows:
1. Phase 1 for $347,184: Focuses on vehicle and pedestrian directional signage for Downtown, the North End, Bruce’s Beach and major City intersections; sign types include:
a. Parking Entrance ID (on parking lots)
b. Parking Identity (free standing)
c. Parking Identity (post mounted)
d. Parking Overhead Direction (signal arms)
e. Parking Direction (post mounted)
f. Vehicle Direction
g. Pedestrian Direction
2. Phase 2: for $362,515: Focuses on City and neighborhood identity signage:
a. City Identity Monuments
b. District Identity Banners
c. Street Identity Overhead (poles)
d. Street Identity (post mounted)
3. Phase 3 for $114,983: Focuses on regulatory signage:
a. Regulations (free standing)
b. Regulations (wall/fence mounted)
c. Street ID (post mounted)
4. Phase 4 for $55,103: Various Other Signage:
a. Light Pole Art (banners)
b. Obelisks
c. Symbols (e.g., wave, volleyball, surfer)
Staff recommends that City Council approve the Master Plan and provide direction on which phases (or sub-phases) they would like prioritized for initial implementation. Staff will then prepare and present to City Council the detailed budget that will be required for design and production, as well as a timeline to roll out the program. Based on City Council direction, staff will also make recommendations on a funding source for the Wayfinding Program and ask for authorization to allocate those funds within the Capital Improvement Program.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST:
The following outreach was conducted for this effort:
• Online surveys via Open City Hall from June to August 2015
• Email survey and interviews with members of the public at random
• Five (5) City Council meetings:
o April 7, 2015,
o October 6, 2015,
o October 20, 2015,
o February 2, 2016, and
o October 3, 2017
• Three (3) Cultural Arts Commission meetings:
o September 22, 2015,
o August 2, 2017, and
o April 16, 2018
• Three (3) North Manhattan Beach Business Improvement District meetings:
o June 3, 2015,
o July 1, 2015, and
o May 2, 2018
• Two (2) Downtown MB Business & Professional Association meetings:
o September 10, 2015 and
o April 12, 2018
• One (1) Parking & Public Improvements Commission meeting:
o April 26, 2018
• One (1) Planning Commission meeting
o May 23, 2018
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that 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.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
Attachment:
1. Final Master Plan - Citywide Wayfinding Signage Program
2. PowerPoint Presentation