Council Reviews Locations for Gateway Signs

The Greenbelt City Council received slightly revised entrance sign plans from Sharon Bradley of Bradley Site Design at its April 20 worksession. The more expensive and elaborate monument signs, which involve a large sign panel placed on a low stone retaining wall bearing the city logo and the words Welcome to Greenbelt, would be placed at only two locations instead of three: at Southway off of Greenbelt Road where the map welcome sign used to be and at the traffic circle for Cherrywood Lane and Metro Station Drive aimed at visitors arriving by Metro transit. Also, the Southway sign would add “Historic” before Greenbelt. Tall columnar “Greenbelt” signs would be placed at six locations instead of three and small pole “Welcome” signs would be placed at two instead of three locations. While councilmembers generally seemed satisfied with the revised proposal, some concerns were raised. Councilmember Judith Davis raised concerns that there would be no monument sign for Greenbelt East. The earlier plan called for one on Hanover Parkway at Good Luck Road. However, the distinction was made that the Southway sign should be more significant because it was the principal entrance to the historic original planned community. A second monument sign for Crescent Road off Kenilworth Avenue was also discussed, but Councilmember Leta Mach thought that a columnar was appropriate because that area was not a part of the original community. Council Reviews Locations For Greenbelt Gateway Signs by James Giese Councilmember Rodney Roberts asked how much the signs would cost. He was told that cost estimating was not a part of Bradley’s design contract. He felt that both the monument and column signs were too elaborate and felt that Greenbelt, like other municipalities, should only have small pole signs marking city limits. Councilmember Konrad Herling continued to be concerned that a bus shelter was not being planned by the Southway sign where there is a stop. He had previously been told there was not enough room there for one. It was noted that a nearby stop at Lakecrest Drive and Greenbelt Road was more heavily used and that the stop could be relocated farther up Southway, where a shelter could be built. Mayor Emmett Jordan continued to urge that the columnar signs be designed so that banners could be attached to the reverse side to announce special events