The Municipal Services Committee met 01/06/2025. The only item on their agenda that prompted any discussion was the Permanent Occupancy Permit and Sign Permit applications submitted by the Paper Valley Hotel to place a sign on the skywalk over Superior Street that connects the hotel with the Red Parking Ramp. The committee ended up putting the item on hold for two weeks to allow city staff time to talk to hotel personnel about how downtown signage changes planned by the city might impact the hotel’s desire install these signs.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
The Hilton Appleton Paper Valley Hotel wanted to spend around $2,350 to install two signs (one on each side) of the skywalk connecting the hotel to the parking ramp. The signs were straightforward direct signs indicating where public parking was and where the hotel was.
Alderperson Alex Schultz (District 9) does not serve on the committee but he was interested in the item, and told the committee he had asked the hotel staff why the sign was being request. Hotel staff had indicated that most of the people who visit the hotel park on College Avenue because they are not aware that there is public parking in the ramp. Alderperson Schultz felt that it would make more sense to place a sign on College Avenue to help people see where public parking was, rather than on Superior Street.
Director of Public Works, Laura Jungwirth, told the committee that they were in the process of putting together a Request For Proposals to seek the services of a consultant who could help with marketing, wayfinding, and strategic planning for the Parking Utility. Part of that would include signage in the downtown area around the parking ramps. This study was expected to take place sometime this year.
There was concern by the committee that if they approved the Paper Valley’s request as written the city would not have the ability to require the hotel to remove it if it ended up clashing with the city’s future signage plans. Additionally, it was unlikely that the hotel was aware that the city was planning to study downtown signage and potentially implement changes this year, and it was unclear if they would still even want to spend over $2,000 installing signs when a solution that would be paid for by the city might be forthcoming in only a few months.
The committee ended up voting unanimously to hold the item until the 01/20/2025 committee meeting in order to give city staff an opportunity to talk to hotel staff. let them know about the city’s plans regarding signage, and find out if they still wanted to proceed with their application. If the hotel did still want to go forward with their proposed signage, it was likely that such a request would only be approved with some sort of caveat giving the city authority to remove the signs if they clashed with the city’s future signage plans.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1268794&GUID=4B23E45A-008A-4527-99F9-5D9E2CE68B19
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