Council Study Session

MINUTES OF THE GILBERT TOWN COUNCIL, IN SPECIAL MEETING FOR A STUDY SESSION, OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2023 AT 5:00 PM, MUNICIPAL BUILDING I, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 50 E. CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, GILBERT, ARIZONA COUNCIL Mayor Brigette PRESENT: Peterson Mayor Brigette Peterson, Vice Mayor Kathy Tilque, Councilmembers Scott Anderson, Chuck Bongiovanni, Bobbi Buchli, Yung Koprowski, and Jim Torgeson COUNCIL ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Town Clerk Chaveli Herrera CALL TO ORDER OF SPECIAL MEETING Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order at 5:09 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 1. Presentation and discussion of the Heritage District Wayfinding and Placemarketing Plan. Nicole Norgren, Associate Principal with MulitStudio and Consultant for Wayfinding and Placemarketing, gave an update. She discussed cultivating character in the Heritage District and a visual exercise or “visual mood board” which served as a reference to ensure they were still on track. She discussed historical landmarks as wayfinding devices and how they were used to define the area and utilize the landmarks to help tell the story of the area – the canal, water tower, and railway were the landmarks. She said they were not meant to be districts within districts but rather just as wayfinding aid. She discussed how they would be expanded into a signage system and provided visuals including orientation, history, arrival, and navigation signs. She said parking was the number one thing people reported was hard to find. She also discussed designs with neutral colors and pops of colors used strategically to help aid with finding things that were mentioned to be hard to locate. She said the system was modular, so the entire sign would not need replacing when things changed, repairs were 1 needed, and fading occurred. She discussed adding panels to complement the character and create moments of interest, including holidays and promotions or ways to find features such as murals. She addressed the lighting of signs and having flexibility with lighting for options such as matching the water tower. She also discussed the gateway arrival sign options, including having something with a historical feel for across the road. She provided iterations of the design options. She discussed project impact, not just looking at Gilbert Road from Vaughn to Page but the entire Heritage District, adding it would be a phased implementation. She discussed the next steps and project developments, including creating use guidelines and design intent, a phasing plan, and phase one implementation. Vice Mayor Tilque stated she liked the direction, but the colors against the green of the poles looked like an afterthought. She had suggested that they use the colors from the Gilbert logo, maybe changing the brightness of it so it looked more complementary to the green poles. She said she liked the top left corner design image of the Heritage District because it looked more like the other wayfinding signs and asked if they could make it match a little more. Councilmember Bongiovanni agreed with Vice Mayor Tilque; he liked the colors, but it looked like an afterthought. Councilmember Anderson also agreed and asked if they could consider some design elements from around the Town, not just the Heritage District, like the Riparian Preserve and Ocotillo Road Bridge Project, to bring those elements into the Heritage District. Councilmember Torgeson thanked them for involving the stakeholders and said they were well-reflected in the process. He also liked the top left corner design image of the Heritage District. Councilmember Koprowski agreed with the other Councilmembers. She said she appreciated the project’s direction, capturing elements of Heritage District and modernity while maintaining a classy aesthetic. She suggested a refresh of the ride-share spaces, pavement markings, and entryway signs to match new design guidelines. She also mentioned that the rideshare color should be its own distinct color and not the same as the 2 parking. She said the only concern was they might have appeared outdated upon installation and preferred a distinctive, modern design that would fit within the district and was designed for the future. Councilmember Buchli thanked MulitStudio for the tremendous amount of work that had been done. She said she was unsure about the overhead sign and wanted to consider it. She said she loved the vibrant colors, that maybe once in place they might not look so bright, and she was excited to see the project move forward. Mayor Peterson asked about the overhead sign across Gilbert Road and if it would be placed in the location shown. Norgren said that the location was still being worked on. Mayor Peterson then asked if the height would be high enough to accommodate trucks, to which Norgren answered that it would be. Mayor Peterson expressed concern about losing the banner if the overhead sign was placed at that location, as the banner was appreciated for advertising special events and holidays. Mayor Peterson said that she would love the overhead sign at the start and/or end of the Heritage District to draw attention to the entry location. She said as for the designs, she would need to review larger and closer images to decide. She said she would also like to discuss finding a combination of new and old to bring to the Heritage District and thought they were on the right track. Mayor Peterson asked when they would start moving forward with the Project, to which Norgren answered they planned to wrap up design intent and documentation by the end of 2023. Mayor Peterson then asked when they could expect signage to start appearing, to which Norgren said it would be Quarter 1 and Quarter 2. ADJOURN Mayor Peterson adjourned the meeting at 5:35 p.m. ATTEST: ___________________________ ___________________________________ Brigette Peterson, Mayor Chaveli Herrera, MMC, Town Clerk 3 CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Study Session of the Town Council of the Town of Gilbert held on the 28th day of November, 2023. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this ____ day of ____________________2023. ___________________________________ Chaveli Herrera, MMC, Town Clerk 4