Laguna commission urges more signs in program to help direct pedestrians around town

The Laguna Beach Planning Commission recommended adding more directional signs to a planned program that boosters hope will help drive pedestrians beyond the downtown core.

Though city staff originally proposed six signs — poles with attached blades pointing in specific directions — the commission voted Wednesday to add two more after hearing widespread support for the program from local residents, the Chamber of Commerce and the visitors bureau.

The City Council originally approved the program in 2016 with a $65,000 contract for San Diego-based Graphic Solutions to plan and design the signs. A city subcommittee was formed later to advise on the effort.

The council is scheduled to consider the signs during its May 22 meeting. They are planned for the following intersections along South Coast Highway: Broadway; Ocean, Laguna and Forest avenues; Cleo and Thalia streets; and two at Legion Street. The program would start this summer and possibly be extended if well-received.

City staff already installed a prototype at Forest Avenue last month.

Kavita Reddy, owner of Buy Hand, a boutique in the HIP District, initially suggested the additional signs for Cleo and Thalia streets. One of the program’s goals is to drive more customers to HIP, the stretch of South Coast Highway between Anita Street and Bluebird Canyon Drive.

“We will want to know if people are actually going to walk and mill around,” Reddy said.

The Planning Commission also recommended adding a QR code to the poles. Cellphone users could scan the code, which would open an electronic survey on their phones to gauge what they think of the sign program.

The commission couldn’t agree on the color of the directional blades or whether they should be in multiple colors.

The Forest Avenue prototype has blades in blue, brown and green.

Resident John Hanauer said the signs shouldn’t be subtle.

“I want it to stand out,” he said. “Whatever color it is, let’s not have so muted that nobody sees it.”

City staff will show the commissioners color samples during their May 16 meeting, in time to make a recommendation for when the council reviews the project the following week.

BRADLEY ZINT is a contributor to Times Community News.