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ticed. Entryways also provide information to motorists tion funds, special improvement districts, private dona- by directing them to areas of interest and by providing tions, and capital improvement program funds. insights into the historical, cultural, and economic foun- According to Loveland planner Larry Gamble, the dations of the area. entryway beautification guidelines have served as the IIIAn investigation of community priorities conducted in foundation for a set of development standards now used the early 1980s by Loveland, Colorado, revealed that local by the community. Those planning guidelines not yet residents placed a very high priority on improving the incorporated into local regulations have also served to pro- community's appearance. As proof of that commitment, vide a clear message to developers about the city's expec- voters approved a one-cent sales tax hike in 1984 to fund tations for thoughtful and attractive site planning along a number of improvement projects in the city. The fol- important corridor routes. lowing year, a local beautification program, including an Carlsbad, California, also developed entryway design entryway beautification plan, was developed to provide strategies as part of a communitywide corridor enhance- a physical planning framework and implementation ment study. In addition to identifying 13 important cor- strategy for their efforts. ridor routes, the city's scenic corridor study contains The city's entryway improvement plan recommends recommended design guidelines for 15"Community Iden- both public and private activities to enhance the overall tity Entries." According to the study recommendations, visual quality of the two state highways that bisect the welcome signs and entry monuments are to be installed town. As a major gateway to Rocky Mountain National at various locations throughout the city. Suggestions Park and other recreation areas in the state, the city expe- about the types of monuments, signs, and landscaping riences a great deal of tourist traffic. Recommended to use vary according to the entry's visibility and usage improvement strategies were, therefore, developed to patterns. The study provides design guidelines for private encourage travelers to stop and enjoy the unique charac- developers who may have to construct entry signs as a ter of the city. Improving roadway area visual quality was condition of development approval. As with the Loveland also viewed as an important step in promoting local eco- approach, signs and monuments at entry points are just nomic development and business recruitment efforts. one component of an integrated, public-private entryway Design schemes for city entry points constitute just one improvement program that seeks to promote the concept of an array of techniques used by Loveland to encourage of entrances as areas rather than as specific points on a visual continuity in its entryways. Other features of the map. plan that are intended as unifying elements include pub- Three overriding goals provide the foundation for the lic art and sculpture to signal the location of important Eugene, Oregon, entrance beautification study: to improve public open spaces; the installation of landscape features the city's image; to enhance the experience of entering the and artwork at the approach to the older parts of the city; city; and to direct visitors to major points of interest by al pedestrian-oriented streetscape designs in the downtown providing useful roadside information signs. area; development of a "city center" image at the inter- To date, the city's entrance beautification study has section of the two highways through the use of landscap- served as the impetus for two spinoff efforts—a compre- ing and other design elements; and a unified design for hensive inventory of public signs along major roadway public street signs and information devices throughout corridors and an improvement program for those signs, the corridor. The plan also divides the two roadways into and a survey of private parking lots designed to identify a number of districts based on their natural and built fea- and encourage the upgrading of facilities that do not com- tures. District-specific design guidelines, which are ply with local landscaping and buffer standards. The intended to highlight the character of individual stretches study also served as the impetus for the Eugene City along the corridor, are also recommended by the study. Council's approval of designs for four monuments and A number of financing methods are being considered welcome signs to be located at selected entrances to the as means of implementing the public improvement pro- city. Design of the entryway monuments was financed by gram in Loveland. Program costs may be paid through capital improvement program funds; construction and general revenues, percent-for-art funds, park and recrea- installation funding will come from private donations. • 14