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Commission approves revised naming policy, moves to protect 'Sunset Park' and co‑names North 46th as Marvin Gottlieb Avenue
Summary
After debate over review committees, vote thresholds and plaques, commissioners adopted a new naming policy, unanimously approved a co‑naming for North 46th Avenue as Marvin Gottlieb Avenue and agreed to preserve the planned Sunset Park name; commissioners amended the policy to require a 5/7 vote for namings and to allow bronze plaques.
The City Commission unanimously approved a consolidated donations and naming policy and took immediate action to protect a pending park name and to honor a longtime developer.
Assistant City Manager Adam Reichbach presented staff’s effort to separate sponsorships and donations from formal naming rights, to clarify categories (facility, amenity, street), and to tighten background‑check and biographical‑information requirements for namings. Reichbach said the city manager could accept donations under $100,000 but higher amounts and real property would come to the commission.
Commissioners debated whether commission‑initiated namings should bypass the naming review committee (staff and civic affairs administrators) or be routed through it for additional vetting. Commissioner Clary and others argued the committee should review nominations even those initiated by commissioners, while other members favored a streamlined path when the commission itself proposes an honoree.
An amendment to eliminate the distinction between living and deceased honorees and require a 5‑of‑7 vote for any naming carried unanimously. Commissioners also accepted a friendly amendment to ask for bronze historical plaques and to remove explicit “financial” as a criteria so that donations would not be interpreted as automatic naming rights.
Separately, the commission approved a co‑naming resolution to make North 46th Avenue (from Hollywood Boulevard to Sheridan Street) honorary 'Marvin Gottlieb Avenue' to recognize Marvin and Charlotte Gottlieb’s decades of local building and civic contributions; the vote was unanimous. Commissioners also accepted a motion to treat the future park on the Sunset site as 'Sunset Park' and to seek mechanisms to preserve that name moving forward.
Bruce Gottlieb, representing the family, thanked the commission for honoring Marvin’s role in local development and community life.
Staff said the naming policy changes will be codified and the naming review committee will be retained, with clarified roles and updated applicant materials and plaque guidance to be prepared.
