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RESOLUTION NO. R-1314-56: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA ADOPTING THE NORMAN SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING PLAN, THE WAYFINDING ACTION PLAN, AND DIRECTING STAFF TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID ACTION PLAN.
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BACKGROUND: The City Council authorized the development of a Wayfinding Plan by executing Contract No. K-1112-130 with the team led by Guernsey Engineers/Architects/ Consultants on May 22, 2012. The project evolved through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Norman, the Norman Chamber of Commerce and the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau. This MOU was approved by the Norman City Council on January 10, 2012. Under the MOU, funding for the development of the plan was provided jointly by the Norman Chamber of Commerce and the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau. The City of Norman provided the project management for the development of the Wayfinding Plan. The Plan is intended such that all signing will be appropriate from a multi-modal standpoint accounting for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
DISCUSSION: The Wayfinding Plan is very comprehensive and multi-faceted. It includes the following fundamental elements:
Project Vision and Branding
Audit and Analysis
Establish Criteria/Select Wayfinding Destinations
Develop Recommendations for Signage Types and Placement
Signage Design Elements
Identification of Potential Funding Sources
Preparation of Final Deliverables
The scope of work included two public open houses and a survey of stakeholders. The list of stakeholders included representation from the following groups:
Norman Public Schools
Large Area Retail
University of Oklahoma
Norman Public Arts Board
Small Area Retail
Norman Regional Hospital
Downtowners Association
Local Media
Campus Corner Merchants
University North Park/Embassy Suites
Norman Economic Development Coalition
Bicycle Advisory Committee
Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Norman Chamber of Commerce
Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau
City of Norman
The entire City of Norman is included in the plan; however, some areas of the city feature much fewer potential destinations than other areas. The deliverables from this contract included:
List of destinations broken down into Major, Primary, and Secondary categories
Selection criteria to add future destinations to list to be signed
Kit of Parts to provide ingredients and the framework for the overall system
Other design considerations to include
Family of sign styles
Recommendation to draft and adopt a standardized sign code to regulate public and private signage
Recommendation to convene a standing committee that would review signage applications and monitor the expansion of the wayfinding system
Identification of potential funding strategies
Phase I implementation plan for major and primary destinations with opinion of probable cost
Implementation plan for a pilot project of signs on Main Street from I-35 to downtown with opinion of probable cost
To clarify the next steps in the process, city staff developed an Action Plan for the Wayfinding Plan. That Action Plan is attached.
The City Council conducted a Study Session on September 24, 2013, at which time the project team provided a full briefing on the final proposed Wayfinding Plan. The attached Resolution and associated Action Plan attempt to address the feedback and direction from Council. If approved, implementation of the Wayfinding Plan will begin immediately.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. R-1314-56 which adopts the Norman Signage and Wayfinding Plan, the Wayfinding Action Plan, and directs staff to proceed with implementation of the Action Plan.