EXPLANATION OF REQUEST: At the meeting of March 16, 2016, the Commission directed the Historic
Resources Preservation Board (HRPB) to review a request for the installation of
street signs labeling a portion of MLK Jr. Blvd. “Honorary Robert E. Wells Avenue”, and to provide
other suggestions for honoring significant persons from the
city’s past.
On April 11, 2016, the HRPB extensively discussed a potential recognition program. The Board agreed that such a program has many factors to be
considered such as eligibility for recognition, the application process, and
the costs involved. The Board recommended that a successful program should be:
- Equitable and allow all significant persons to
be considered for recognition.
- Manageable.
- Cost effective in terms of implementation,
installation, and ongoing maintenance.
- Aesthetically pleasing.
- Based on sound research such as the ongoing
research into the Heart of Boynton area which will be completed in early 2017.
- Identifiable and not lead to confusion (e.g.
street signs should be placed away from intersections and should be of a
different color and design from existing street naming signs).
The various alternatives recommended for recognizing historically
significant persons and their estimated costs are illustrated in Attachment A - Options and Estimated Cost Summary.
If the Commission supports the idea of a recognition program, the HRPB
is willing to provide recommendations on how the program should operate and eligibility
criteria. If implemented, the Board has offered to complete initial reviews of
submitted applications and provide recommendations to Commission for final
approval.