SIGNAGE & LANDSCAPE The way people feel about a place as they travel through it is influenced by many things, but signage and landscaping have a very significant impact on those perceptions – and the willingness of people to invest their time and money in a place. Signage is an essential tool for communicating what kinds of businesses and public institutions are present, and even private signage helps us find our way. If poorly designed or maintained, signage can also make a place feel chaotic, unwelcoming, boring, or disorderly – qualities that are not attractive to most people. The Plan addresses the need for careful design and placement of signage as part of the strategic recommendations for each District. It also suggests the need to coordinate signage placement and design carefully with landscaping requirements that can sometimes block signage unintentionally. Several Opportunity Sites recommendations discuss the need for special attention to this kind of design coordination. Landscaping helps create environments that soften the look and feel of the hard materials we use to build structures, roads, sidewalks, plazas and other spaces. Sidewalks lined with shade trees and colorful flowers are places people want to be. Medians and front yards with colorful flowers help people feel engaged and safer. Landscape buffers between single family homes and other uses help make both kinds of places more appealing. Even parking lots with great landscaping can be appealing to visitors and shoppers. Research has validated the health benefits of landscaping and other natural features as well. The Plan addresses landscaping concepts and requirements as part of the recommendations for each District, and it suggests some kinds of landscape buffers for several of the Opportunity Sites, including some suggested ways to create new landscape requirements as part of a new form-based code. By carefully addressing signage, landscaping, and the balance between them for commercial properties, the Plan helps to improve the attractiveness and appeal of public spaces – including commercial spaces. This new attractiveness will accelerate the rates of visitation, investment, walking/biking, spending, and social interaction that make places vibrant. NEXT STEPS 5 5 Ensure signage design guidelines promote the districts and the goals within or create signage guidelines to help businesses and properties amplify the image and brand for east Sunrise. 5 5 Encourage business owners to upgrade signage.
S S Example of well-designed sidewalk with business signage and landscape. AMAC Small Business Solutions
W W Example
of signage design guidelines
109 | EAST SUNRISE IMPROVEMENTS MASTER PLAN
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