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8.A. - Page 18 of 56 <br />Recommendation: <br />1) As part of the next community visioning process for the downtown, the community should <br />explore expanding affordable and market rate housing, retail, and office in the Downtown <br />Core. (See Attachment C: Housing Focus in the Downtown Core Area.) <br />2) The City should also explore encouraging mixed-use developments in the Downtown Core to <br />include a combination of office, housing and retail in a single development.$ <br />3) Additionally, there is a need to enhance the number of visitors and overnight stays by <br />encouraging hotels in the Downtown Core. <br />9. Engage design experts to develop guidelines for consistent, complementary design and look <br />for street signage and real-time "way finding" for vehicles, parking and pedestrians. (Task <br />Force recommendation) <br />Analysis: Currently there is a need for better business signage and way finding to identify <br />businesses in the Downtown. Signage for businesses should have consistent, high quality design <br />and materials. On Broadway, between Jefferson and Main Streets, there are businesses that <br />have no signage or their storefronts are blocked by dark park -let shades and overgrown trees. <br />Some business that are further away from areas where large events are held (Courthouse <br />Square) have asked for help directing patrons to their businesses. (See Attachment D for <br />examples of signage used in downtown business districts) <br />In partnership with the Redwood City Improvement Association (RCIA), the City is working on a <br />project to design and install a real-time dynamic parking guidance system. The system will <br />include signs providing information on parking availability for publicly available parking facilities <br />(both City owned facilities and facilities that have a shared parking agreement with the City). <br />The initial phase of the project will include signs at five locations at key entrances to downtown <br />Redwood City. The system will also be able to push the parking availability information online <br />and to mobile applications. Currently the project has completed a 70% design. To finalize the <br />design some additional survey work is required which is being scheduled now. The final design is <br />now expected to be completed in December and an RFP for construction will be issued shortly <br />thereafter. Construction is expected to be completed mid -2020. <br />Recommendations: <br />1) The City should consider retaining a professional designer to develop consistent sign <br />guidelines that result in a coordinated look for all private and public signage in the <br />Downtown that is complementary to one another and uses high quality materials. <br />2) A comprehensive signage program for the Downtown for all sign needs should be integrated <br />into the Downtown streetscape plan and coordinated with sidewalk dining guidelines and <br />any revisions to the Downtown Precise Plan. <br />3) A downtown sign grant program can be developed to provide grants to assist businesses <br />with the cost of new signage; the choice would be limited to those designed by the City's <br />8 The City of Davis, CA is considering a mixed use development that will have four stories of apartments over <br />research and development office space (https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/community-development-and- <br />sustainability/development-projects/research-park-mixed-use). <br />12 <br />238 <br />