Gateway Monument Sign

Gateway Monument Sign "Concept"
Archtitect Eric Miller 

UPDATE: Gateway Monument Sign

City Council Minutes
Regular meeting
December 5, 2006

XI. ORDERS OF COUNCIL
A. Review the proposed gateway monument sign at the intersection of Highway 1/Ocean Avenue and provide policy direction.

Item XI.A was continued at the request of staff.

Note: Since this item was not on the last City Council agenda of the year (19 December 2006) and since the submission deadline was 31 December 2006, it appears the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea did not submit a proposal for a Gateway Monument Sign at the intersection of Highway 1 & Ocean Av.

City Council Agenda
Regular Meeting
October 3, 2006

X. Resolutions
A. Consideration of a Resolution authorizing the hiring of an architect for the design of a Gateway Monument Sign within the State of California public right-of-way located at S.R. 1 and Ocean Avenue.

Council Member ROSE moved to adopt Resolution, seconded by Council Member BETHEL and carried by the following vote:

AYES: BETHEL, CUNNINGHAM, HAZDOVAC & ROSE
NOES: McCLOUD

Gateway Monument Demonstration Program
Selected excerpts from the “Guidelines for Gateway Monument Demonstration Program, 1/1/2005, as follows: (Click on title above for complete document)

Proposals for the placement of Gateway Monuments will not be accepted after December 31, 2006.

A Gateway Monument is defined as any freestanding structure or sign, non-integral or nonrequired highway feature that will communicate the name of a city, county or township.

Gateway Monuments are to be solely funded and maintained by a Local Entity.

Only one Gateway Monument installation will be allowed per State Highway or Interstate approach (one in each direction) into a Local Entity contiguous to the highway.

Gateway Monument submittals shall be reviewed for approval or denial with primary
considerations to safety (location), appropriateness, aesthetics, access for maintenance purposes, and the message being communicated.

All costs for proposed Gateway Monument design, construction, access for maintenance,
maintenance, and if required, removal of the Gateway Monument shall be the responsibility of the Local Entity and stipulated in detail within the Preliminary and Final Gateway Monument submittals.

The Encroachment Permit shall stipulate that the Local Entity shall hold harmless, indemnify and defend the State against any action associated with a Gateway Monument. The Department will assume the administrative costs associated with reviewing Gateway Monument proposals, and developing, issuing and monitoring the Encroachment Permit for approved Gateway Monument projects. All other costs, including labor, materials, supplies, and traffic control (if required) for design, engineering, testing, construction, installation, maintenance and removal of the Gateway Monument shall be the responsibility of the Local Entity.

The Department may require the Local Entity provide bonds or other means to ensure
maintenance, rehabilitation, and removal of the Gateway Monument.

Gateway Monuments shall be kept clean, free of graffiti, and in good repair. The Local Entity shall be required to provide for regularly scheduled maintenance,..

A licensed Landscape Architect, Architect or Professional Engineer shall professionally prepare final submittals for a Gateway Monument Proposal.

The approval of a Gateway Monument proposal shall be made with due consideration to safety (location, potential for motorist distraction, accessibility for maintenance, etc.), aesthetics, community support, and maintainability.

(Sources: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/design/gateway_memo.pdf; http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LandArch/gateway.htm)

Contrarians’ Points of View:

According to Clark Watkins, Carmel, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea “needs a Disneyland-medieval-industrial-park-housing-development-type ‘monument sign’ like a hole in the head.”

And according to Mr. & Mrs. Fressinier, Carmel, “...the proposed design resembles a fortress. The finial is flat-out unfriendly, the stones are cold-looking and the design doesn’t reflect the whimsy of the town’s architecture.”

(Source: http://www.carmelpinecone.com/061006PineCone.pdf)