Sun City Gets New Off-Ramp Signs
Beginning in January, the McCall off-ramp along the I-215 freeway will boast two new signs directing drivers towards Sun City. The new signs...
http://www.menifee247.com/2010/12/sun-city-gets-new-off-ramp-signs.html
Beginning in January, the McCall off-ramp along the I-215 freeway will boast two new signs directing drivers towards Sun City.
The new signs came at the request of some Sun City residents who worried that their community was losing its identity after it was incorporated into Menifee. Prior to incorporation, Cal-Trans had placed signs along the I-215 indicating the boundaries of Sun City along with population and elevation figures. But after incorporation, those signs came down.
"When we have friends and family members try to visit us, they have trouble finding Sun City because the signs are gone." testified one resident at a city council meeting two weeks ago. "If Hollywood can still keep its identity despite being a part of Los Angeles, then why can't Sun City still keeps its identity?" asked another resident.
The issue came to a boil over two years ago in an October 7, 2008 city council meeting where former city councilmember Scott Mann introduced the word "branding" into Sun City's lexicon. He noted the name "Menifee" didn't exist on maps, and that there were no such freeway signs either. He gave an example of renaming the Sun City Post Office to Menifee Post Office, which ticked off many of Sun City's residents.
But last Tuesday city officials unveiled a plan to help reestablish Sun City's branding of its own. At both the northbound and southbound off-ramps on McCall Blvd, two new signs stating "Sun City" with a arrow, will help point visitors in the right direction.
The signs won't be posted on the freeway however, and nor will they appear on the off-ramp itself, but on McCall Blvd right where the off-ramps end.
"Cal-Trans owns the freeway, and we can't just post signs there" explained Fred Twyman. "Instead we have to get their permission which can take a minimum of one year."
So in the meantime, the City offered this temporary solution.
City councilmember Darcy Kuenzi displayed examples of other ideas the city could implement to help distinguish Sun City from Menifee, including marquees, banners, and other signs posted within Sun City denoting its boundaries.
She went on to report that Sun City is not actually recognized by Del Webb as an actual Del Webb community in the company's registers, likely due to the fact that a different builder had later taken over construction of the community. She suggested to the powers at be in Sun City that they petition Del Webb to reinstate their community so that it may be permanently linked with the developer.
John Denver reassured the audience that even though city councilmembers haven't spoken to the public on this particular subject, that they've indeed discussed this issue at length amongst themselves over the past several months. "Let's let the issue of branding be put to rest; we want to preserve Sun City's unique identity" he said.
The new signs came at the request of some Sun City residents who worried that their community was losing its identity after it was incorporated into Menifee. Prior to incorporation, Cal-Trans had placed signs along the I-215 indicating the boundaries of Sun City along with population and elevation figures. But after incorporation, those signs came down.
"When we have friends and family members try to visit us, they have trouble finding Sun City because the signs are gone." testified one resident at a city council meeting two weeks ago. "If Hollywood can still keep its identity despite being a part of Los Angeles, then why can't Sun City still keeps its identity?" asked another resident.
The issue came to a boil over two years ago in an October 7, 2008 city council meeting where former city councilmember Scott Mann introduced the word "branding" into Sun City's lexicon. He noted the name "Menifee" didn't exist on maps, and that there were no such freeway signs either. He gave an example of renaming the Sun City Post Office to Menifee Post Office, which ticked off many of Sun City's residents.
But last Tuesday city officials unveiled a plan to help reestablish Sun City's branding of its own. At both the northbound and southbound off-ramps on McCall Blvd, two new signs stating "Sun City" with a arrow, will help point visitors in the right direction.
The signs won't be posted on the freeway however, and nor will they appear on the off-ramp itself, but on McCall Blvd right where the off-ramps end.
"Cal-Trans owns the freeway, and we can't just post signs there" explained Fred Twyman. "Instead we have to get their permission which can take a minimum of one year."
So in the meantime, the City offered this temporary solution.
City councilmember Darcy Kuenzi displayed examples of other ideas the city could implement to help distinguish Sun City from Menifee, including marquees, banners, and other signs posted within Sun City denoting its boundaries.
She went on to report that Sun City is not actually recognized by Del Webb as an actual Del Webb community in the company's registers, likely due to the fact that a different builder had later taken over construction of the community. She suggested to the powers at be in Sun City that they petition Del Webb to reinstate their community so that it may be permanently linked with the developer.
John Denver reassured the audience that even though city councilmembers haven't spoken to the public on this particular subject, that they've indeed discussed this issue at length amongst themselves over the past several months. "Let's let the issue of branding be put to rest; we want to preserve Sun City's unique identity" he said.
"When we have friends and family members try to visit us, they have trouble finding Sun City because the signs are gone." testified one resident at a city council meeting two weeks ago"
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time believing that people will not be able to find Sun City because the signs were changed...maybe confused the first time but if they are friends and family, all they had to do is tell them...