New signs to get motorists around and through Sebastopol were approved by the city's development agency on Tuesday, but members put off a decision any new welcome signs.
Those welcome, or gateway signs, now include Home of the Analy Tigers, a list of the city's Sister Cities and the Nuclear Free Zone designation.
The issue wasn't removing those, however. It was the suggestion the list be expanded to add the Gravenstein apple and Luther Burbank Farms to the signs.
"This needs another look in the future," said Councilman Guy Wilson, who suggested a need for interchangeable message panels to handle them all. "We should keep our options open."
Wilson is one of the three council members on the five-member Community Development Commission.
The commission approved going out to bid to buy 48 new directional signs to direct people to such local venues as parking lots, Ives Pool, City Hall, the city library, Ragle Park, Analy High School, the Town Plaza, the Arts Center, Skategarden Park, the police department, Burbank Farm, Community Cultural Center and the Veterans Memorial Building.
The signs, all uniformly designed in three colors, would also direct traffic to the Russian River, Bodega Bay, Santa Rosa, Graton and Cotati.
There would also be two kiosks located at the Town Plaza and at Burnett and Main streets parking lots with maps of the city.
Planning Director Kenyon Webster said the new signs would replace current signs in a variety of designs that help move traffic through Sebastopol, where its Main Street is a state highway that carries 14,000 motorists a day.
The cost is expected to be about $50,000.
The commission was also given three designs for the gateway signs. One simply says "Sebastopol" and a second that includes the slogan "Local Flavor, Global Vision."
A third includes panels that say "Home of the Analy Tigers," lists Sebastopol's Sister Cities and the phrase "Nuclear Free Zone."
The Nuclear Free Zone is a designation from a 1985 ordinance, which also requires it be on the signs at the city's entrance. That ordinance would have to be amended or appealed for the phrase to be removed, said City Attorney Larry McLaughlin.
Gordy Ross, a consultant with Ross-Luthin Creative in Santa Rosa, said that adding beyond the three existing slogans would detract from what is supposed to be a welcome sign.
"The more you add, each one becomes less significant," Ross said. "Three is a maximum number you want to put along a welcome message."
Mayor Sarah Gurney, however, said she liked adding the Gravenstein apple and Burbank Farms.
"I would include all the messages," Gurney said. "They are an expression of our identity."
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