Commission debates Willows wayfinding sign look; staff to return with blended mockups
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Summary
The commission gave staff design feedback on a town‑wide wayfinding project, favoring a blend of a committee’s original design and SignCo’s mockups and asking staff to return with refined mockups and clarified pole heights and signage scales.
The Willows Planning Commission reviewed wayfinding sign designs Dec. 2 and provided direction for staff to refine the concept rather than taking a final vote.
Joe Bentancourt, Community Development Services Director, recapped the item’s history: the city council authorized wayfinding signs in July and asked the planning commission for input; the commission reviewed initial mockups in September and October and staff later refined designs with a vendor, SignCo. Bentancourt said staff sought feedback on two main points: the design treatment (attachment 1 vs. attachment 3) and the scale/height of antique poles proposed to carry the signs.
Laurie Pride, council liaison and member of the design committee, said the committee preferred the original design in attachment 3 for the top of the sign but recommended scaling details so the directional elements remain readable at 35 mph. Pride said in committee feedback they “would like to go back to sign co and stick with our original attachment 3, top of the sign.”
Commissioners expressed differing views: some favored SignCo’s attachment 1 for visual impact, while others preferred attachment 3’s cleaner layout for readability. Bentancourt proposed a blended solution—using the posture of the tree in attachment 3 with willow‑style leaves and retaining the gold swoosh of attachment 1—and said staff will work with the committee to produce a few variations. He also recommended reducing the originally proposed 14‑foot antique poles to 12 feet to maintain a roughly 6–7 foot clearance above sidewalks and noted that initial shipping estimates for six poles were about $1,000, which staff hopes to reduce by sourcing locally.
Commissioners asked staff to return with mockups for the primary roadside signs (a 5‑by‑3‑foot tabletop sign), interior wayfinding signs and museum/downtown signs so the system will be cohesive across different functions. No final action was taken; staff will prepare refined mockups and a recommended final design for a future meeting.
No formal vote was recorded.