FT and Southwest Area gateway signs finalized
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Above is the primary design for the gateway sign created for Franklin Township/Southwest Area. The stone sign represents the history of the area and stone quarries. |
The Franklin Township trustees got a look at the finalized design for the Franklin Township/Southwest area gateway signs at their July 7 meeting.
The project began in November 2010.
According to Ben Weiner, project manager at Franklin County Economic Development & Planning, the Southwest Area Plan included signage for the joint entities. The plan was developed two years ago as a strategic guide in further development of Franklin Township and the Southwest area.
The Southwest Area Plan describes gateway signs as helping to construct an identity for the community and to build neighborhood pride.
Weiner said the Franklin County Commissioners made grants available, no strings attached, for the design phase of the gateway signs for the communities and included them in their land use plans. Now either entity may proceed in constructing and installing the signs with their own funds.
After three community input meetings, a primary design was selected that reflected the area¹s stone quarry history. A large stone slab 5 feet tall and a little over 6 feet long would display the titles of Southwest, Franklin Township, and city of Columbus.
A secondary design was created as a simpler and more cost efficient solution in the form of small metal signs that could be attached to pre-existing Franklin County roadway signs.
While the design is finished, residents question which community gets top billing on the signs.
“That is subject to the entity that ends up paying for the signs, if and when that time comes,” Franklin Township Chair Timothy Guyton said.