To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vin Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Brendan Hurley, Economic Development Program Coordinator
TITLE:
Title
The Oxbow Gateway Sign
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving the Oxbow Gateway Signage to generally be located in the public right-of-way along First Street between Soscol Avenue and McKinstry Street; approving and authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute on behalf of the City a license agreement with the Napa Downtown Merchants and Professional Association ("DNA") for the installation and maintenance of the Oxbow Gateway Sign; and determining that the actions authorized by this resolution are exempt from CEQA.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The Community Development Department's Economic Development staff convened The Oxbow Task Force working group in 2022. Consisting of property owners and business representatives, the Task Force's goal is to tackle key issues and initiatives in the Oxbow with support from staff. The Task Force established four working groups: Gateway Signage, Programming, River Trail (now, Napa RiverLine), and Parking.
The Gateway Signage working group developed key ideas for the Oxbow Gateway, with a desire for a gateway that reflected the artistic and "edgy" character of the Oxbow, similar to the floating letter signs in The Barlow in Sebastopol and Hillcrest, San Diego.
Next, staff contacted multiple vendors to get a preliminary design and cost estimates to determine the feasibility of the project, with Arrow Sign Company being the most responsive and capable of design and building it. In October 2022, Arrow developed conceptual design specs and provided a high-level survey along First Street.
After the initial design was completed, the project was put on hold as funding options for the sign were being explored.
On August 15, 2024, the Downtown Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) board approved funding ...
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