SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
                                            P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
                                            AUGUST 1, 1996      

                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                            Date: July 23, 1996
                                            Dept. File No. 2122-24

    TO:       Standing Committee on Planning & Environment

    FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services 

    SUBJECT:  Welcome to Kitsilano Sign


    RECOMMENDATION

         A.   THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be
              authorized to permit the installation of an unlit "Welcome to
              Kitsilano" sign on the west median at Burrard and Cornwall
              Streets, at no cost to the City, with the location and design
              of the sign to the satisfaction of the General Manager of
              Engineering Services.

                                       or

    CONSIDERATION

         B.   THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be
              authorized to permit the installation of a lit "Welcome to
              Kitsilano" sign on the west median at Burrard and Cornwall
              Streets, at a cost to the City of approximately $7,800 in
              1996, source of funding to be the Contingency Reserve, with
              ongoing operating costs of approximately $1,200 to be funded
              from the Operating Budget without offset, with the location
              and design of the sign to the satisfaction of the General
              Manager of Engineering Services.

    GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

         The General Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A.  If Council does not
         approve A, then B is submitted for Council's CONSIDERATION.  B is
         advanced at the request of the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce, but
         is not recommended because the General Manager does not support
         illuminated community signs nor the added cost to the City.

    COUNCIL POLICY

    Under the Charter, the City owns and controls all street allowance, and
    has permitted other local neighbourhoods to erect signs, artwork, and
    banners.

    PURPOSE

    The purpose of this report is to inform Council of a request by the
    Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce to design, install, and pay for an unlit
    "Welcome to Kitsilano" sign on City property at the median that divides
    Cornwall Street west of Burrard Street, at no cost to the City.  This
    request is supported by the General Manager of Engineering Services.  

    The Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce has also asked that Council consider
    a request for the sign to be illuminated, with the City paying for the
    added capital and operating costs for the lighting.  The request to
    illuminate the sign is presented for Council's consideration but is not
    recommended by the General Manager of Engineering Services.

    DISCUSSION

    The General Manager of Engineering Services supports community-based
    signs on City property where there is room, they are safe, not
    illuminated, and they promote the local neighbourhood, as in
    Kerrisdale, Gastown, Mt.Pleasant and Southlands. The request from the
    Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce to design, install, and pay for an unlit
    "Welcome to Kitsilano" sign is consistent with this policy and is
    supported by the General Manager. 

    The proposed sign would be designed to the satisfaction of the General
    Manager, incorporating design elements unique to Kitsilano such as
    pebbles, boulders, logs, and carved images of buildings in the area. It
    would be located on City property at the median that divides Cornwall
    Street west of Burrard Street. A draft sketch of the proposed sign is
    attached as Appendix A.

    The west median at Burrard and Cornwall may be affected by changes
    proposed in an upcoming report to Council on the upgrading of the
    Burrard Bridge.  Changes contemplated may include a left turn bay,
    which is illustrated in Appendix B.  The General Manager will locate
    the "Welcome to Kitsilano" sign so that it does not affect any changes
    to the intersection that may be contemplated by Council while
    addressing the Burrard Bridge options.

    The General Manager will require the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce to
    be responsible for maintenance and third party liability via a letter
    of agreement.

    In addition to seeking approval for the placement of the sign on City
    property, the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce has also requested  that
    the sign be illuminated, and that the City pay for the added capital
    and operating costs of the lighting.

    Due to the increasing frequency of requests for community signs, the
    General Manager is drafting a written policy.  One of the key
    guidelines is that these signs not be illuminated, primarily to
    minimize capital and operating costs, to not compete with more
    important traffic and pedestrian signs, and to not be aesthetically
    overbearing.

    For these reasons, the General Manager does not support the request of
    the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce for this sign to be illuminated nor
    for the City to pay for the capital and operating costs for the
    lighting.

    FUNDING

    If Council approves A, an unlit "Welcome to Kitsilano" will be designed
    and installed at no cost to the City.  The Kitsilano Chamber of
    Commerce has been awarded a time limited matching grant from the
    provincial government for this sign, up to a total of $6,000.

    If Council does not approve A, but approves B which is advanced only as
    a consideration, the cost to the City of installation of the conduit
    and fixtures plus power for 1996 is estimated to be $7,800, which would
    have to be funded from Contingency Reserve.  An additional $1,200 per
    year thereafter for power and maintenance would have to be funded from
    the Operating Budget with no offset.

    CONCLUSIONS

    It is recommended that the General Manager of Engineering Services be
    authorized to permit the installation of an unlit "Welcome to
    Kitsilano" sign on the west median at Burrard and Cornwall Streets, at
    no cost to the City, with the location and design to the satisfaction
    of the General Manager of Engineering Services.

    Council is also asked to consider a request from the Kitsilano Chamber
    of Commerce for the sign to be lit, at a cost to the City of
    approximately $7,800 in 1996, and approximately $1,200 per year
    thereafter for power and maintenance.  This consideration is not
    recommended because the General Manager does not support illuminated
    community signs nor the added cost to the City.


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