Town of Yountville
Staff Report
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Agenda Item #: 12A
Yountville Town Council Staff Report
DATE: October 6, 2026
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: John Ferons, Public Works Director
PREPARED BY: Rosalba Ramirez, Deputy Public Works Director
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution Number 26-4445 approving the design direction for the Town-wide pedestrian wayfinding signage, and direct staff to finalize design and installation.
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
At its May 6, 2025, meeting the Town Council approved an on-call contract with Offset Partners, Inc. that included updating the Town’s wayfinding signage. At the April 21, 2026, Budget Workshop #2, Town Council received a presentation by Offset Partners, Inc. revealing the culmination of their efforts which included, among other things, the draft details of updated wayfinding signage to replace the existing system in place. Since then, Town staff have worked with Offset Partners to develop a cohesive signage and visual identity program grounded in Yountville’s historic character, Napa Valley wine vernacular, and existing built environment.
The wayfinding component is intended to establish a consistent, recognizable system that helps pedestrians locate public facilities, visitor destinations, businesses, parks, and historic points of interest while reducing visual clutter. The proposed signage program is guided by four principles: a holistic and timeless design, grounding in the Town’s vernacular, reduced sign clutter, and an emphasis on craft.
The pedestrian wayfinding concept features a vertical, wood-toned post with stacked directional blades based on the existing wayfinding signage infrastructure. Each blade identifies a destination and provides a directional arrow; it may also include a category symbol and walking distance expressed as an estimated step count. By displaying multiple destinations on a single structure, the design reduces the need for numerous individual signs.
The companion symbol system identifies common destination categories, including Town facilities, food and beverage, wine, shopping, lodging, arts and culture, parks and picnic areas, and public restrooms. These symbols are intended to help pedestrians scan the signs quickly and to establish a consistent visual hierarchy across locations.
The project includes twelve pedestrian wayfinding signs along Washington Street. The signs are intended to help pedestrians understand their proximity to businesses, civic destinations, parks, and other points of interest, with priority given to destinations within the immediate area. The final design was developed using the following criteria:
Keep the wood structural element that of the existing poles. Use individual metal panels displaying the destination name, estimated walking distance in steps, and applicable destination-category icons.
List destinations from nearest to farthest based on estimated walking distance in steps. Include only destinations located ahead in the pedestrian’s direction of travel; do not identify businesses located behind the sign.
Where a pole has blades on both sides, use west-facing blades for destinations on the west side of Washington Street and east-facing blades for destinations on the east side. Allow “North Yountville” and “Pioneer Cemetery” to appear on selected poles as broader orientation cues.
Generate walking-step estimates using Google Maps and verify them in the field. Use a limited, consistent icon family for restaurants, wine tasting rooms, shopping, lodging, wellness, arts and culture, parks, and public restrooms.
Do not create one-off icons for destinations outside the established categories; leave the icon area blank for locations such as the U.S. Post Office, Pioneer Cemetery, and banks. Place the restroom icon last and use it only for clearly public restrooms at municipal destinations or parks, not for private businesses.
Offset Partners has refined the destination names and sign copy using the Town’s current business list and in coordination with the Deputy Director of Marketing & Economic Development to confirm business names and locations. Remaining work includes reviewing the proposed names and sign layouts with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses; confirming the final points of interest; assigning destinations to specific sign blades and locations; establishing walking-distance step counts; completing the final artwork; and preparing fabrication-ready files. Draft wayfinding sign designs and icon references are included as attachments to this staff report.
Staff are requesting Council approval of the proposed design. Staff will then proceed with fabrication and installation. Thomas Swan Sign Company will fabricate the signs based on the approved design, and Public Works staff will complete the installation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Categorically Exempt per California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline; Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction.
FISCAL IMPACT
Is there a Fiscal Impact? Yes
Is it Currently Budgeted? Yes
Where is it Budgeted? ST 0035 Mobility Plan and Wayfinding; 50-6000-5400 Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? Discretionary
Is there a Staff Resource Impact? Nominal
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution Number 26-4445
2. Draft Wayfinding Design