BY KEVIN THOMPSON | PALM BEACH POST STAFF WRITER | JANUARY 27, 2016

The city is looking for a sign. Quite a few of them, actually.

Nearly two years ago, the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency started a project to improve signs throughout the city that direct residents and visitors to the beach, downtown, City Hall, historic neighborhoods and other desired locations.

The CRA said the goal is to create signs that are clear, consistent, concise.

And there’s one more more thing.

“The city is lacking a brand,” said Chris Dabros, the CRA’s deputy director. “A consistent brand helps us improve our image and eliminates confusion. Visitors have been complaining about our lack of directional signs downtown.”

The CRA tapped KMA Design, a Pennsylvania graphic designer, for a little more than $30,000 to come up with some ideas.

The plan is to create up to 130 new signs that would be installed throughout the city. But Dabros said the city can only install/replace that many signs if the project has more than one phase. The city would replace signs in the most heavily trafficked areas like downtown and the gateways.

Dabros said the CRA isn’t sure how much it will cost to replace and add the signs. That depends on which signs the city chooses. The larger welcome signs are more expensive than the smaller directional signs. Dabros said the CRA would like to begin installing signs in downtown later this year.

Barbara Martin, KMA Design’s chief executive officer, told city commissioners at its Jan. 19 meeting that there are some voids and inconsistencies in the city’s current signs.

“You want to highlight the community to make it a destination as opposed to a pass through to someplace else,” she said. “Signs should have landscaping… to announce you really have arrived in Lake Worth.”

The signs, Martin said, should also be brighter, featuring such bold colors as magenta and peach. She showed commissioners several design concepts.

“We don’t want the ‘Miami Vice’ color palette,” she said. “We’re looking for something unique for this city.”

Mayor Pam Triolo and Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, however, said they weren’t big fans of magenta.

“We all have different taste,” Triolo said.

Added Maxwell: “Those colors don’t do a doggone thing for me. We need to find something that’s going to pop. In the sunlight, (the letters) will blend and won’t be crisp enough.”

While Commissioner Christopher McVoy said he liked the idea of having better signs, he said the community should be more involved in how they look.

“It’s important in a community this diverse that there is some buy-in (from residents),” he said. “There is no shortage of artists here.”

Dabros said residents’ input is always welcomed.

“We welcome members of the public to provide critical feedback,” he said. “We take their comments very seriously.”

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