8.3. SR 01-21-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Elk Request for Action River To Item Number Mayor and City Council 8.3 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by General Business January 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 wayfmding 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 EDA'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 informational Signage can rl7ect community image and heritage. These public improvements should be part of broaderplans for corridor enhancements. If corridors attempt to draav people into Elk River, signage must support this objective. Si gnage suggests that there are points of interest not immediately visible from the edge orgateavay. Effective signage he ps 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 avayfinding signage plan, as an added connection between the core downtown area and other neighborhoods in the study area. Transition existing regulatory and informative 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 NaA f RE]