City approves Alton Medical Center signage changes, public artworks after residents raise buffer concerns

The Palm Beach Gardens City Council on Oct. 9 approved changes to the Alton Medical Center master sign and landscape plan and accepted four Art in Public Places installations for the campus after the applicant amended its request to remove a south-facing sign that had drawn resident objections.

The council’s action, taken by a 4-0 vote, follows weeks of meetings between hospital representatives, city staff and nearby homeowners and includes a commitment by the applicant to install additional landscaping along the I‑95 (west) buffer and the southern boundary and to provide specified timelines for planting and maintenance.

Ken Chuma, project representative from Urban Design Studio, told the council, “there is no sign on that South side any longer,” and described the revised request as keeping three previously approved building identification signs in place, reducing the size of one wall sign, adding one hospital wall sign on the north façade, and adding one directional sign intended to improve wayfinding. Nick Lobdell, planning and zoning staff, summarized the changes and noted the…