Newport’s LED street signs getting new colors, sail logo

Newly designed illuminated street signs will soon adorn Newport Beach’s large intersections.

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the design of the LED signs, which will have a bright-blue background as well as white lettering, a gold border and a gold sailboat on the left side.

The signs, to be mounted at 122 signalized intersections, are about 6 to 8 feet long and 16 inches tall. The current signs have a green background and white lettering.

Staff said the signs will be changed over the next several years as part of routine traffic signal maintenance. About 20 intersections along East Coast Highway between Jamboree Road and Newport Coast are likely to receive the updated signs in the next year.

The new design will add about $30 to the price of each sign, amount to perhaps several hundred dollars, staff estimates.

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Charter amendment

Council members also voted Tuesday to place on the November 2016 ballot a proposed city charter amendment that could limit new taxes.

The Newport Beach Taxpayers Protection Act would require that at least five of the seven council members vote in favor of placing any future tax increases on the ballot.

California voters passed Proposition 62 in 1986, requiring a super-majority vote on a city council before members can ask the public to vote on a tax increase. However, the law does not apply to charter cities like Newport Beach.

The proposed Newport amendment, which Councilman Keith Curry brought before the council, would protect Newport Beach voters from unwanted tax increases, he said.

“We don’t always agree on everything up here, but one thing I’m confident of is that all seven of the City Council members are opposed to new taxes,” Curry said. “But we can’t predict who’s going to be sitting up here in future years.”