'Welcome to Dunedin' Signs for South Douglas Avenue?

Mayor Dave Eggers had a final question about beautification plans coming to a stretch of southside Douglas Avenue:

"No place to put a 'Welcome to Dunedin' sign, huh?"

Even though they weren't in the preliminary plans presented to officials, Joan Rice, city traffic engineer, told officials at Thursday's city meeting, that it was something they were considering for a small space on Douglas Avenue just north of Union Street, by the bus stop.

But finding space across the street is still in question.

"The right-of-way extremely narrow," City Manager Rob DiSpirito said, so the city would have to get permission from the adjoining landowner to put a decorative sign partially on the property. In return, the city would put in some landscaping around the sign and take over maintenance. "We're in discussion with the property owner right now about gaining such permission. I don't have an answer for you yet." 

The $254,000 streetscaping project would bring six-foot-wide sidewalks, pedestrian street lighting ("Fluted with the little acorn bulb on top," Rice said) and decorative neighborhood signs to Douglas Avenue between Lexington to Union streets. 

Specifically, the plans include:

• A six-foot-wide concrete paver sidewalk along the east side of Douglas Avenue between Lexington and Union streets, and along the west side of Douglas Avenue between Pelican Bay and Union Street.
• Five decorative pedestrian street lamps along the east side of Douglas Avenue. Solar powered lamps are still being researched. 
• Decorative signs to be placed above the street name designating it as either a Virginia Park or Shore Crest neighborhood.
• Three texturized crosswalks (two at Orangewood Avenue and one at Union Street).

City officials expressed excitement to move the plans into the bidding process.

"This has been a long time coming. It's been in the budget for about 10 years. I'm excited to see it happening," Vice Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski said.

Ron Barnette said he is looking forward to a "much less-automobile oriented" look to the area.

The city is budgeting $300,000 from the Penny Sales Tax Fund.

Previous Coverage:

• South Douglas Avenue May See Streetscape Enhancements