Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Consideration and final direction on the Cotati Trail and Downtown Interpretive Sign Panel Designs
Date: September 13, 2022
Written by: Noah Housh, Director of Community Development Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council review and provide direction on the proposed draft interpretive panels for the downtown and trail kiosk wayfinding sign designs to allow final design and installation of the interpretive sign kiosk panels.
Background
On July 20, 2017, the MTC notified the City that the MTC approved an allocation of TDA funds to the City in the amount of $90,000 for the development and initial installation of a bicycle and pedestrian wayfinding system.
On February 13, 2018, (after an RFP), the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with sign consultant MERJE, who was deemed to be the most qualified design firm that best met the City’s needs.
On February 13, 2018, the City Council also formed the Wayfinding Steering Committee comprised of members of the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, and Chamber of Commerce to guide the design and development of the bicycle and pedestrian wayfinding signage program.
Over the following year, the plan and sign designs were developed with the Wayfinding Steering Committee through a series of public surveys and workshops. Specifically, two community-wide surveys were held in March and May of 2018, and three duly noticed public workshops were held on March 6, May 2, and September 12, of 2018, to gather public input on the draft plan and sign designs.
These surveys and workshops were primarily focused on the design and aesthetic appearance of the various sign types. Broad ideas, concepts, and themes seen by the community members and Wayfinding Steering Committee as contributing to Cotati’s unique identity were utilized to develop three design concepts which were presented to the committee for feedback. A fourth iteration of these designs was then developed based on the results of the community-wide survey and community feedback. Ultimately, this engagement process combined to create the Wayfinding Master Plan, which was intended to serve as the official guide to all future City bicycle and pedestrian wayfinding sign locations and designs.
On January 22, 2019, the Design Review Committee, the Planning Commission and the City Council adopted a resolution approving the City of Cotati Bicycle and Pedestrian Wayfinding Master Plan.
Installation of the Wayfinding signs began in FY19/20, and additional funding to complete the installation was included in the adopted FY20/21 budget. Finalization of these interpretive panel designs is the final step to getting the approved sign designs fabricated and installed.
On July 27, 2021, the City Council approved the construction contract with Aloha Signs to fabricate and install the trail kiosks and interpretive sign panels. However, final design and installation of the interpretive sign panel designs was intentionally delayed to allow additional public and Tribal input on the final sign content and design.
However, as part of the action to approve the construction contract, the City Council directed staff to provide additional opportunities for the public and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (FIGR) Coast Miwok and Sothern Pomo Tribe to review and comment. After receiving comments on the proposed draft interpretive sign panel designs, they were to be brought back to the City Council for formal approval.
Analysis/Discussion
In response to the City Council direction to gather more public input, Community Development staff created an online survey, notified the general public of its availability via the City website, social media accounts and through direct email to interested individuals, and sent copies of the proposed draft language to Tribal representatives. Staff received comments from individual citizens and representatives of the Cotati Historical Society. These comments were then incorporated into the finalized draft designs and survey results, which are attached to this report.
Unfortunately, no comments from Tribal Representatives have been received.
The design and installation of these signs come out of policy direction in both the Cotati Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan which identify an effective and unified wayfinding signage system as a high priority to encourage non-motorized exploration of the City; to allow visitors and residents to more easily navigate the City’s streets, pathways and trails; and to improve the streetscape appearance and enhance the economic prosperity of local businesses.
One component of this wayfinding sign program was the installation of kiosks in the downtown and along the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail, and the construction and installation of these signs has been completed. These kiosks include a map of the downtown or Laguna trail network, and several interpretive sign panels to provide contextual and historical information regarding the City and the Laguna. The Interpretive sign panel content and design are the final component of this process, with the completed draft designs being presented to the City Council and community to allow any final input to ensure all text and design elements are accurate and represent the community. Previous comments have been incorporated into the interpretive sign designs, however additional input has been received (primarily grammatic suggestions).
Separate from the interpretive sign panels, one comment has been received specific to the kiosk maps identifying that their installation does not seem to consider the contextual orientation of the maps, and in some cases could benefit from being located on the opposite side of the kiosk. Staff is in agreement with this comment and will include this relocation into the final installation of the interpretive panels.
Financial Considerations
Development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Wayfinding Master Plan was funded through the $90,000 grant of Transportation Development Act (Article 3 (TDA3) funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Full buildout of the wayfinding sign program was anticipated to exceed the grant funding and construction was envisioned to occur over several years. The City’s FY 18-19 adopted budget included another $50,000 to further program implementation and construction and portions of this have been funded through budget allocations in subsequent years. The sign consultant contract with MERGE totaled $83,240 and this amount has been fully expended.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
Attachments:
Downtown Interpretive Sign V4 (PDF)
Trail Interpretive Sign Horizontal V4 (PDF)
Trail Interpretive Sign Vertical V4 (PDF)
Jenny Interpretive Sign Comments 4.2022 (DOCX)
Jenny_Cotati Interpretive Sign Panels 8.2022 (PDF)
Marie_ Cotati Interpretive Sign Panels, 2nd Response 8.2022 (PDF)