Title
Ceremonial Sign Procedure
Description
This report provides information to the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee on the Ceremonial Sign Procedure.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
Historically, the City of Phoenix has only approved a small number of requests for the fabrication, installation and maintenance of Ceremonial Signs to honor residents, non-profit organizations, locations, events or national figures who have made significant and clearly defined contributions to the country, state, or City of Phoenix through cultural, humanitarian, historic, or military achievement.
Recently, the Street Transportation Department (Streets) has received a higher than normal volume of Ceremonial Sign requests, and there has been no formal written process for the requests. Streets has created a Ceremonial Sign Procedure (Attachment A) to document the process for requesting, fabricating, installing, maintaining, and replacing Ceremonial Signs in the City of Phoenix. Included in the procedure is an application, which must be completed by the requestor outlining the honorees' qualifications and proposed location(s) of the sign(s).
These procedures do not pertain to the official renaming of streets, which is a process managed through the City's Planning and Development Department.
Ceremonial Signs
Ceremonial Signs supplement existing street name signs to recognize and honor people of historical or national significance, sports teams or figures, historical or cultural events, or people and groups of local significance. These include signs that celebrate:
- People (e.g., Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bishop Henry Lee Barnwell); or
- places (e.g., AZ State Fairgrounds Way).
Only requests honoring an individual, non-profit organization, significant event, or City of Phoenix landmark are eligible for consideration. Individual or organizational honorees must have made significant and clearly defined contributions to the country, state or City of Phoenix through cultural, humanitarian, historic, or military achievement. Prospective honorees should have:
- A minimum of 10 years' community involvement by demonstrating extraordinary and consistent voluntary commitment and dedication to the community; or
- Made significant and clearly defined contributions to the country, state or City of Phoenix through cultural, humanitarian, historic, or military achievement, and have lived in, or otherwise are identified with, the community in a substantial way.
Streets staff will fabricate, install and maintain all Ceremonial Signs. However, all costs related to Ceremonial Signs will be the responsibility of the requestor. The requestor must sign a letter of agreement with the terms and conditions for the Ceremonial Signs, which include funding the full cost of the fabrication, installation, maintenance, and replacement of the signs. The City of Phoenix will determine the final placement of signs at the requested locations.
Ceremonial Signs may be in the form of "street name" signs or flag-mounted sign toppers. All Ceremonial Signs will require City Council approval.
Ceremonial "Street Name" Signs
These signs commemorate nationally or locally known figures who have made a significant cultural or community impact. These signs can also honor Phoenix landmarks.
Ceremonial “Street Name” Signs are 24 inches by 90 inches in size and have a blue background with white lettering so as not to confuse drivers with the official City street names. These signs are generally installed at major intersections and are mounted to traffic signal poles below the City’s standard illuminated street name sign without changing the official name of the street or the official addresses of residences and businesses on the street. No more than two Ceremonial “Street Name” Signs will be allowed at an intersection, either in the north and south direction or the east and west direction.
Ceremonial Sign Toppers
These signs are smaller flag-mounted sign toppers (hanging perpendicularly off of an existing signpost) that honor a local resident or organization that has made significant contributions to their local community.
These signs also have a blue background with white lettering and are 8 inches by 30 inches in size.
Application Process
Ceremonial Sign requests are to be initiated by interested groups or individuals in the following manner:
- An interested group or individual contacts their respective Council District office with their request;
- If the Council District is supportive of the request, the interested group or individual will be referred to Streets to process their request;
- The requestor will then be sent the application by Streets staff;
- Applicant must submit the completed application to Streets, which will include the stated significance and benefit to the surrounding community. The request should also identify the proposed location(s) and type of sign;
- Applicant must agree to fully fund all related costs, including fabrication, installation, and maintenance or replacement of damaged, worn or missing signs; and
- Ceremonial Sign requests must be approved by City Council.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Street Transportation Department.