4. Staff Report-Wayfinding
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: 5/24/2022
For: Tourism Committee
From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works
Subject: Wayfinding Signage
Update:
Public Works, Washington County representatives, and a member of the Scandia Tourism
Committee met through virtual meeting to discuss the possibility of placing wayfinding signs
within the County ROW. The discussion ended with the possibility of a program with approval
by the County through a MOU (Memo of Understanding). A MOU will first need to be approved
by the City Council. With a Council approved MOU, it will then be sent to Washington County
for their approval as well. Even with a developed and approved MOU by the City there is a
chance the County would not approve the program or sign designs and standards.
If the County were to approve the program all existing wayfinding signage which is County
owned and maintained would either be removed or potentially left in place. The City would
then take over ownership and maintenance responsibility if signs were to remain in place
meeting the standards set in the MOU. The County will still hold discretion for the removal of
existing or future installed signage if it were to fail to meet County standards or possibly
interfere with future County projects involving the ROW. The City will also need to apply for
ROW permits for each future sign requiring the installation of a sign post. Application fees apply
to the City of up to $100 per sign. Within the Village Center wayfinding could be allowed on City
owned street lamp posts without ROW permit, but will be required to follow the sign design
and standards set in a potential MOU.
Public Works has been researching the requirements for a MOU in regards to sign design and
standards for a Wayfinding Signage Program. This MOU will be in reference to signs placed in
the County ROW whether on City owned lamp posts or new post installation. The MOU requires
multiple levels of sign design and standards and will need to be submitted to the City Council
for approval before submitting to the County. Cost estimates will also need to be included as a
reference for Council to understand the funding required to implement and maintain
wayfinding signage by the Public Works Department.
To implement a wayfinding sign program will initially come with a high expense, due to the
removal of existing signage by the State and County, replacing all or most of the removed
signage. Not only will a program like this need budgeted funding, but will also add another
maintenance requirement to the Public Works Department, with limited availability operating
with three full time staff, currently responsible for road, sewer, equipment, ROW, parks, and
building maintenance. Future budgeting or allocation of funds for a program is possible with
Council approval.
A final key point is the removal of existing signage by the State and County. The Committee
must keep in mind that the removal of all existing signage will be removed. The removal of
individual business wayfinding signage will be the most notable as the new City wayfinding
signage will not include individual business names, a requirement by the State and must be
included in the MOU with the County. The businesses personally or directly funded the
installation of these signs and this program will exclude that opportunity.
Public Works suggests documenting all existing signage currently in the State and County ROW
for the Committee to be familiar of the quantity and identification of existing signage. Which
can then be used to develop a map for this potential program.