9.1. SR 11-17-2014 City of
Elk Request for Action
River
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 9.1
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Worksession November 17, 2014 Tina Allard, City Clerk
RaeAnn Gardner, Communications Coordinator
Item Description Reviewed by
Wayfinding Program Cal Portner, City Administrator
Reviewed by
Action Requested
1. Direction on design concept.
2. Review the project schedule.
3. Provide staff direction with the Wayfinding Program.
Background/Discussion
At the October 6, 2014, meeting, Council stated they would like a worksession to discuss the design of
signage for the Wayfinding Plan.
Council is asked to reference attached staff report dated January 21, 2014,which explains why staff has
requested this program. Many of our long-term development plans call for the need of connections and
wayfinding. All city signage should be tied to a theme established through a Wayfinding Program. The
Wayfinding Program will help tie all development plans together so they are not being completed as silos.
Currently, staff in various departments complete signage projects on their own with no consistency and
sometimes done incorrectly because they are not technical experts in this field. Having this plan would
create a consistent signage family that fits with the city's branding,beautification and fit proper standards
for design readability.
The Wayfinding Program is a long-term guiding document.Visual will put together a full spec plan and
projects will be bid out as they're needed and budgeted. The current value of our city street/park signage
system is approximately$1.2 million.
Financial Impact
Wayfinding maintenance is already included in annual budgets of various departments. Other wayfinding
projects have been budgeted in the Capital Improvement Plan by departments based on Council's vision,
goals, and adopted development plans.
Attachments
• January 21, 2014 Staff Report
• Project Schedule
P a w E A E U a r
Template Updated 4/14 INIM UREI
CK of
�._ Request for Action
River
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 8.3
Agenda Section fleeting Date Prepared by
General Business )anuary 21,2014 RaeAnn Gardner, Communications Coordinator
Item Description Reviewed by
Wayfinding Signage Program Tina Allard, City Clerk
Reviewed by
Cal Portner, City Administrator
Action Requested
Approve, by motion, the hiring of Visual Communications to create a wayfinding signage program for the
city.
Background/Discussion
On January 6, 2014, the Council heard a presentation from Visual Communications regarding wayfinding
signage. Staff recommends a global,long-term,Wayfinding Master Plan Program for the following
reasons:
• The Master Plan would provide an inventory of current signage to determine areas that need to be
improved and/or where signage needs to be de-cluttered (such as the downtown parking lot).
• A plan is consistent with the Council's Beautification Goal in the adopted 2014 Visioning Plan. A
task under the Beautification Goal is to Provide Consistent and Expanded Signage.
• It would meet the Council and FDA's goals in the Powered by Nature Branding Program. A
wayfinding program would create a similar, more cohesive look and feel throughout the
community and strongly emphasize Elk River's unique identity.This would highlight and make it
easier for visitors to locate our parks and our downtown;provide for more connectivity to our
amenities. Examples would be signage along the major highways to direct people to such
amenities as the Youth Athletic Complex,Hillside Park, the downtown, etc.
• From the currently Council adopted Comprehensive Plan regarding Community Image, Public
signage is an important element of image. Directional and infonvational sigrrage can r efl ea community image and
herztage. These public improvements should be park of broaderplan for corridor enhancements If conidonr atter?apt
to draw people into Elk liver, signage must support'this objective. Signage srsggests that them are points of interest
not htim edwleyl risible f vm the edge orgaten ay. Effective signage helps visitors navigate around the community.
• Assist in meeting the objectives of the Council adopted Mississippi Connections Redevelopment
Framework Plan. A strategy outlined for the Core Downtown is to,Develop and implement a
w gyfw ing signage plan, as an added connection between the core dart ntoivn aria and other neighborhoods in the
study area. Transition existing regulatory and infoimathv signage to the theme established by the signage plan.
Short-term priority Projects (0-2 years) outlined in the Framework Plan are:
o Implement a Downtown District signage plan,including parking and directional signage
p 0 W I a E 9 B ONATURE]
o Establish historical point of view context signage.
Mid-term projects (3-5 years):
o Create interpretive signs highlighting historic occurrences along the Mississippi River trail
after trail is installed.
■ City staff doesn't have the technical resources to create a wayfinding program. Signs in the past
have been created on an as needed basis with no uniform look.This can sometimes result in the
need to go back and fix signage,which can cost more in the long run. With a Wayfinding Master
Plan Program, signs requested by departments would be required to meet certain standards before
being created and placed.
Once a program is in place the city would have the means to create some of the smaller signs with the
new printer/cutter that the Street Division purchased in 2013. The city could also move forward with the
signs for the downtown area and Bailey Point Nature Preserve.
Visual Communications would team up with HKGi who will do the research on funding sources that
might be available for the fabrication and placement of future signs.
Finan6al Impact
The Council has designated $65,000 from the Development Fund,which is outlined in the Capital
Improvement Plan.
Attachments
■ Capital Improvement Plan Worksheet
NAPu61ic Bodies\clgendg Packets\01-21-14\Fina1\x$.3 sr Wsyfinding Hiang.docx.
Wayfinding Plan Schedule
Completed
May 13 Wayfinding Committee Meeting
• Determine wayfinding concerns and common areas
• Collection of city marketing and development plans
May 14 Visual Communication City Tour
■ Tour of city to understand wayfinding challenges, parks, history, culture
June 3 Visual met with Council Appointed Fact-finding Committee
■ Receive information on areas of concern and design elements. SWAT
Analysis
June Visual Creates Design Concepts
June Visual Presents Preliminary Design Options
June-October Visual's own analysis projects
• photographic inventory
• definable destinations
• traffic decision points
• sight lines
June July Various Concepts Rendered/Combined
August Presented Final Options 1 &2
August 25 Presented Sign Options on Facebook for Public Comment
August 28 Public Open House for Options 1 &2
■ Fact-finding&Wayfinding Committees invited to attend
October 6 Present Options to Council
■ Staff directed to provide costs of two options
October 20 Ballpark cost estimates presented to Council
■ Council asked for design review/discussion at worksession
Projected Schedule
November 17 Council worksession discussion on design concepts
■ Council to provide input on a design concept they'd like to see
December Council to select design concept.
December Visual to create new or revised options based on Council intent
January Visual to mock up full design schematics
■ Detailed schematics review with Visual&Wayfinding Committee.
Schematics will consist o£
❑ Sign types (sizes, shapes, colors, materials,poles, and hardware)
• Size of letters, fonts,heights, spacing, and style
• Menu of signs and specifications laid out in a draft plan.
• Develop installation locations by sign size and type. Map out via
GIS.
❑ Develop terminology and design icons for primary and secondary
destinations (landmarks,public facilities, retail, and dining
destinations)
❑ Material performance specifications
February Proposed plan schematics presented to Council
■ Council to recommend changes for incorporation into plan
March Proposed plan schematics presented to Council
■ Council adoption of Wayfinding Plan
April Once the city is ready to begin fabricating and installing certain components of
the system,Visual will assist with vendor selection and monitoring of the
production process
May Staff to begin process for proposed 2015 budgeted projects
Wayfinding Plan Schedule
1) Economic Development—Downtown Signage (As directed in the
Mississippi Connections Plan document)
2) Economic Development—Downtown Parking
3) One Gateway welcome sign
a. Pull together partnership opportunities
b. Complete any paperwork permitting process
c. Costs/location/final design presented to Council
4 Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Plan Items
Ongoing Routine maintenance of signage as budgeted by departments
2016 Projects may be budgeted based on Council Vision Plan