From: Roger Tsai
To: City Council
Cc: Jen Cavenaugh
Subject: Piedmont event signage
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024 11:07:47 PM
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Hello Piedmont City Council -
Mayor Cavenaugh mentioned that the City Council will be reviewing its signage policy, which is a topic I'm passionate about as I'm a fan of increasing opportunities for residents to learn about opportunities to get their family members or themselves more involved in community activities.
It can be easy for residents and non-residents alike to miss, overlook, or never even hear about opportunities to get participate in local events or community groups. Email is a common way to hear about things, but it's also easy to not make it onto those distribution lists or miss the occasional email.
When community events, activities, or groups are trying to spread awareness throughout Piedmont, it would be very beneficial to have opportunities to post signage, flyers, or banners in communal locations visible to residents in advance of the event or deadline.
Examples could include, but aren't limited to the following:
- posting a large banner above the footbridge in Piedmont Park, utilizing the poles present there to hold such a banner (and currently used to hoist the flag during July 4th). Events like the Piedmont Food Festival (full disclosure, I founded that event and faced mixed support in getting our banner up in time for our event, which uses the banner as a backdrop to the performers on stage) find that space useful in both conveying helpful information as well as encouraging community participation.
- posting a large banner above the street in front of City Hall. This was a spot previously used for event promotion, though in recent years, has been not available due to structural issues as well as cost. Should this signage area be re-opened, perhaps the City can find a lower cost way to put banners up as well as remove them.
- high-traffic spaces where signage would be helpful and welcome, such as fences near sports fields (believe this is usually made available)
- As the Pool opens up, I'd suggest exploring common high-traffic spaces where community notices / signage / flyers could be posted
- Perhaps there are other spots that also be allowed - tennis courts, parks - utilizing ancillary locations for additional promotion - Street sign or lamp post areas were previously leveraged to promote events (I believe placards for a Piedmont is Home campaign (multi-unit housing) used those spots at street intersections. I'd be curious if other events could make use of that, perhaps with strong, selective City approval?
- with City construction taking place at times, might the construction/safety fences permit temporary posting of flyers or banners?
- Art Center?
- Street poles? Perhaps with City approval and specific specs & posting dates? - consider adding new spaces explicitly designed for community event flyers - Perhaps consider exploring community bulletin boards that can be used to convey goings-on within the community (with clear posting guidelines to ensure postings are current and don't go stale, but also encourage community postings not explicitly from City events
Thank you for considering ways to support new ways of increasing awareness amongst our residents to engage, participate, and partake in more of our events and community groups.
Sincerely,
Roger Tsai
Piedmont resident & father of 2 Piedmont Middle School students Founder of Piedmont Food Fest
Former Havens Dads Club president (and frequent promoter of the Annual Havens Poker Tournament, a fundraiser for Havens Elementary)
Piedmont Scouts Troop 15 parent & volunteer