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CC - Discussion of Alternative Naming for the Transit Oriented Development District; (2) Approval of Sign Designs Created to Guide Metro Riders to their Nearest Light Rail Station; and (3) Approval of an Agreement with Flouresco Services LLC for the Fabrication and Installation of Metro and Downtown Wayfinding Signs in the Amount of $111,265.
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Meeting Date: September 9, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Elaine Gerety-Warner, CDD - Economic Development
Joe Susca, Public Works -- Administration
Phone Number: 310-253- 5777 / 5636
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/04/19); The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (8/29/19);
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (08/28/19)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council 1) discuss alternative naming for the Transit Oriented District (TOD); 2) approve the wayfinding sign designs created to guide Metro riders within a one-mile radius of their nearest Light Rail Station; and 3) approve an agreement with Flouresco Services, LLC for the fabrication and installation of 20 Metro Light Rail Station wayfinding signs and to remove and replace 16 wayfinding signs downtown in an amount not to exceed $111,265.
BACKGROUND
In 2015, the City was awarded a grant from Metro to install 20 wayfinding signs that will primarily direct individuals to the Culver City Light Rail Station as well as other destinations in the City such as public parking, business districts and facilities. The $23,000 grant covers up to 50% of the total cost to design, fabricate and install the wayfinding signs within one mile of the Culver City Station.
Separately, staff conducted a field investigation of all other downtown signs that were installed approximately two decades ago and found that 16 of them were severely faded and require replacement.
Staff formed a stakeholder group comprised of individuals from the Arts District, the Washington/National Transit Oriented (TOD) District, the Downtown Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce to identify the destinations for each of the 20 signs. The draft signage was presented to the stakeholder group and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for their review and comment and the signs designs were altered in response to their feedback.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued in May 2018 and Flouresco provided the lowest cost proposal to fabricate and install the wayfinding signs; however, the City Council referred the item to the Parking and Traffic Subcommittee (Subcommittee) for review. In January 2019, staff presented the proposed signage to the City Council and provided clarification for the various naming conventions. The City Council recommended that staff hire an environmental graphics firm to review the proposed signage and explore naming conventions specifically for the TOD District.
DISCUSSION
Following a competitive process, in July 2019, the City engaged Hunt Designs (Hunt) to review the proposed signage, provide recommendations for clarity and placement of signs, and to explore alternative naming conventions for the TOD District.
Hunt recommends replacing the Futura Medium Condensed font with Interstate Regular Condensed font to enhance readability. They also recommend that the pedestrian and bicycle timing information be removed from all vehicular signs (those located in the center median) and only be included on pedestrian-oriented signs located in the parkway given their smaller size and context. Additionally, they recommend removing four of the signs west of City Hall and placing four additional signs in the TOD District to create better circulation in the area around Culver City Station (Attachment No. 1). The net effect however, is the same number of total signs.
Hunt Designs also conducted a workshop on August 22, 2019 with a stakeholder group comprised of individuals from the Arts District, property owners/developers in the Washington/National TOD District and the Downtown Business Association. The workshop discussed the current TOD District characteristics, the general criteria relative to district identity (Attachment No. 2) and a variety of naming options for consideration by the group. Several suggestions were discussed at the meeting relative to expansion of business districts or renaming based on historic landmarks, however, there was not a strong consensus for one particular name.
Some stakeholders suggested that the area could be called the “Arts District” given the district’s proximity to the original Arts District and the anticipated influx of creative office and media businesses in the area. Other suggestions include calling it the “Helms District” given the historic nature of the adjacent Helms Bakery and the public’s awareness of its location in Culver City. Other stakeholders felt that the district should not be named at this time and that the area name should develop more organically as build out occurs, public art is installed and new tenanting is completed. A few stakeholders felt that just calling it “Culver City” was enough given the TOD’s small footprint between the more established Downtown and Arts District (Attachment No. 3).
All the stakeholders agreed that the district will evolve over time into a destination as new businesses, restaurants and the residents move into the area and that the matter should be re-addressed in the future. Therefore, staff recommends proceeding with the sign fabrication without a district header name below the City logo for the signs proposed in the area and that the signs exclude any TOD District directional text from the existing signs. When a name is determined for the area, the signs can be updated with new header names and content as appropriate.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Currently, the total cost to fabricate and install the wayfinding signage is $111,265.06. The City will receive $18,000 in Metro Grant funds and will be recorded in Revenue Account No. 10150120.346690. The total cost of the signage will be funded as follows:
1. $36,000.00 (for 20 wayfinding signs related to Metro Grant) in Account No. 10150120.619800
2. $75,265.06 (for additional replacement signs in downtown) from Public Works Maintenance/Operations Street Division - Equipment & Maintenance -- Account No. 10160210.600800
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2019-09-09_ATT_Proposed Wayfinding Sign Plans
2. 2019-09-09_ATT_District Naming Considerations
3. 2019-09-09_ATT_Meeting Notes from August 22, 2019 Stakeholder Meeting
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Defer the renaming of the TOD at this time; and
2. Approve the wayfinding sign designs as proposed; and
3. Approve an agreement with Flouresco Services LLC in an amount not-to-exceed $111,265 for the fabrication and installation of Metro and Downtown wayfinding signs; and
4. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
5. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.