6B - Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark Design Guidelines for Wayfinding and Interpretive signs CITY OF BOULDER
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: December 15, 20Q8
AGENDA TITLE: Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark Design
Guidelines for Wayfinding and Interpretive Signs.
PRESENTERS:
Tracy Winfree, Interim Director, Parks and Recreation
Alice Guthrie, Interim Recreation Superintendent
Pen' Brooks. Parks Planner
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The purpose of this information item is to update the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Board (PRAB) on the efforts that are currently being undertaken by the Colorado
Chautauqua Association (CCA) in partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department
as well as Upen Space and Mountain Parks (USMP) to update the existing design
guidelines as they pertain to the proposed wayfinding signage program at Chautauqua
Park. These signage design guidelines will serve as an amendment to the Chautauqua
Park Historic District Design Guidelines, adopted by the City of Boulder's Landmark
Preservation Advisory Board on June 3, 1987. The primary purpose of the existing
guidelines was to protect the historic nature of the site's structures and to address the
architectural issues and elements around the leased property. Signage is considered. only
briefly in the existing guidelines and pertains primarily to building identity signs. At the
time of the creation of the guidelines, the application of interpretive signs and a unified
wayfinding system does not appear to have been considered.
A memo further detailing the landmarking process from the Executive Director of the
Colorado Chautauqua Association is included in this packet (Attachment A).
In 2007, the CCA undertook asite-wide interpretive planning process using outside
consultants. The resulting document, the Interpretive Services Plan for Chautauqua, sets
forth detailed recommendations for a set of wayfinding signs and a set of interpretive
signs to better orient and educate visitors about the site including information about
navigation, site amenities and the site's historic significance (Attachment B).
In addition, the CCA applied for and received National Historic Landmark (NHL) status
for the Colorado Chautauqua site in 2006. The heritage and preservation enthusiasts
visiting Chautauqua will expect a Level of interpretation on par with other NHL sites.
AGENDA iTENi #~~M, pA(~E
"Phis expected increase in visitors specifically interested in Chautauqua's historical story
merits the need for high quality interpretive signage that are available to visitors without
the need for personal interpretive staff.
ANALYSIS:
"I'he signage design guidelines shall apply to all new signs installed on the 40 acres
designated as a NHL. While the property is owned by the city of Boulder, its
management is divided among three entities: the CCA, the Parks and Recreation
Department and OSMP. All signage occurring on property within the NHL boundary
shall be subject to the design guidelines, regardless of management.
City of Boulder regulatory signage related to parking, speed limits and city code is not
subject to these design guidelines.
Visitors to Chautauqua and the associated park and trail system need to be properly
directed around the site and educated about its amenities. The system of strategically
placed directional, identity and directory signage proposed in the design guidelines is
expected to meet these goals and improve the visitor's experience.
Colors and type styles used throughout the wayfinding system draw from the site's
primary public buildings and what has become the "Chautauqua style" over the past
several decades. Materials used in the signage program are historically appropriate and
consist primarily of painted or stained wood and metal. Design elements are few and
simple making the signs relatively easy and inexpensive to produce.
Parks and Recreation staff is currently updating the department's signage program. Staff
has been working cooperatively with the various management entities of the Chautauqua
site to produce a sign that identifies Chautauqua Park that is in alignment with the
proposed design guidelines.
STAFF RECOMMF,NDATION:
Staff recommends that the PRA}3 hold a public hearing at its January meeting and allow
the community to respond to the design guidelines and then make a recommendation to
the Landmarks Advisory Board.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Memo from Susan Connelly- Executive Director, Colorado Chautauqua
Association
B. Chautauqua Master signage Plan (including a map of proposed sign locations)
AGENDA I1'ENI ~ ~ C!~AGE
f - . 1 Attachment A
t ~ sr~ - - r
- - 4 i
i s~,s~~o~}~~a~ u'~o~3~c~~u ~_wU~u~a~~+~ t~~_ ~.(<^.~:~~fl,•.~~UII(9?U~C~~
COLOpA6}O CNAUTAtlQYA ASSOCIATION
900 BASELINE ROAD, BOULDER, CO 80302
6 303.442.3282 F 303.449.0790 WWW.CHAUTAUQUA.COM
December 8, 2008
Members of the City of Boulder Darks and Recreation Advisory Board
c/o Sarah DeSouza
Dear PRAB members:
As you know, the nonprofit Colorado Chautauqua Association (CCA) is the steward of 26
acres of the total 4o acres of what we commonly call Chautauqua Park -since 2006, the
Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark pursuant to a series of 20-year leases
with the City of Boulder going back to Chautauqua's founding in t898. CCA's jurisdiction is
basically the area with aH of the historic buildings. CCA's mission is to preserve, perpetuate
and improve the site and spirit of the historic Chautauqua through cultural, educational, social
and recreational experiences. CCA shares jurisdiction of Chautauqua with the City's Parks
and Recreation Department (re: the Green and surrounding parking, the playground area and
the adjacent tennis court) and the City's Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (re: the
Ranger Cottage and adjacent parking lot).
As part of its preservation, perpetuation and improvement mission, CCA completed an update
to our original Interpretive Services Plan (ISP) for Chautauqua earlier this year. The ISP
addressed the totality of Chautauqua, not just the CCA jurisdiction, with the goal of creating a
seamless experience for visitors from the entrance throughout the 4o acres. CCA and P&R
staff (as well as OSMP staff} coordinated throughout the development of the ISP to ensure
alignment and to pave the way for smooth future implementation.
the first opportunity to implement recommendations of the ISP came through a generous
grant from the Colorado Historical Society's State Historic Fund for develop a comprehensive
signage program and implement Phase I way finding and interpretive signage. CCA is paying
the balance of the cost of that project. After a competitive RFP process that included
representatives of P&R and OSMP on the selection team, CCA contracted with ECOS
Communications, Inc. of Boulder to prepare the signage master plan and first phase signage.
The City's Landmarks Board must approve all external alterations within Chautauqua as a local
landmark (which designation predated National Historic Landmark designation by almost three
decades) pursuant to the Chautauqua Design Guidelines adopted in tg8q. A two•page section
of the Design Guidelines adopted originally in tg87 addresses signage, but it needs to be
updated regarding identification and way finding signage and did not address interpretive
signage at all. CCA has had several informal meetings with the Landmarks Board, including a
site visit on December 4, and will be presenting to the Landmarks Board on January 7, 2009 (t)
the draft Master Signage Plan and (2) proposed amendment to the signage provisions of the
Chautauqua Design Guidelines. We will incorporate input from the Landmarks Board and
revise the amendments to the Design Guidelines for re-submital and, hopefully, forma(
approval/adoption by the Landmarks Board on February 4, 2009. At that time, CCA also will
seek approval of a Landmark Alternation Certificate for the package of Phase I way finding and
s~GENl7l~ 17'E11~ ~ ~
ESCAaE, EPtGAGE, ELEVATE o -
interpretive signs. CCA's hope is to have the Phase I way finding signs produced and installed
by Memorial Day 2009 to aid visitors during the next summer peak period. We hope #o
produce and install the Phase f interpretive signs over the course of summer 2009• We will
seek another grant from the State Historic Fund for future way phases of interpretive signage
and other means of interpreting this special site.
CCA is coordinating with P&R staff to incorporate P&R's proposed new identification sign for
Chautauqua Park (to be located on the northwest "corner" of the Chautauqua Green) into the
Master Signage Plan and the amendments to the Landmark Design Guidelines and to help
ensure Landmarks Board approval.
We bring this matter to you now for your information and also because four of the proposed
signs in the Chautauqua Signage Master Plan would be located on P&R jurisdiction rather than
CCA leasehold: (1) a main identification sign at King's Gate (i.e., the pedestrian entrance at
Baseline and Lincoln); (2) an interpretive sloper sign in the southwest corner of the Green; (3)
an interpretive sloper sign in the south lawn near the playground; and (4) aself-guided tour
locator (approximately 6" x 6") at the Arbor. As stated above, these signs would be produced
and installed at CCA's sole expense and in continuing coordination with P&R staff.
CCA's Director of Operations Jim Turner will attend your meeting on December tsu' to answer
any questions you may have and to seek your feedback. (CCA's monthly board meeting
coincides with your meeting date and time this month, preventing me From addressing you
personally.) Thank you in advance for your consideration of this matter and for your input. We
hope you share our excitement at finally having needed way finding signage at this important
place and being able to share the important Chautauqua stories through interpretive signage.
Sincerely,
a-~
san G. Connelly
Executive Director
ATT Chautauqua Master Signage Plan - map of proposed locations
c.c. Tracy Winfree
Felix Gallo
Alice Guthery
Lisa Green
Perry Brooks
Kara Mertz
Stephanie Grainger
~~ENDp i~Eovt #r~ IJ f~~~l.~~ .
- f , s r - ,v ~ti ; + Attachment B
All SiYnage, All Phases
Wayfinding /Informational and Interpretive
(exchding seN-guided tour louton)
ro ~
tttiv ~
Ite,rd Cawte ~ %i .
NCoeute 'i~
,
Q
O t lore- Abeui ~4e ''I • ~.tiC5G6r.5J
O Sdf.Gildld Tour Loww ~f~, . % , i ijNKN1NGUN PARKS
PousibleViahorCenter ~ 's r,
bluebell Canyon
Logcion:Academk ~ r ° ~ _ j Trail at fountain
Nall Interlo, c`~cti 7 ap ; ~ ~ .;Ir~. i~
ut~e ~ 4 ra 111.
1
i.' :.'l$ ® "I®h~{• a tne:
~ 4
Picnic Ac~denelc ~i , e i ` ~ ~ ~ - {.4 i(~
Shelter s~; Q•~ J 'T--t_ ' ~ Waurwise
Nall Exterior wi .a~. _ . Garden
~ ~~,,AA~n to
lrcn tN f~ .r:51J L~IIEI~~-tai u
~ ~ ne°>•OF, 2
/ : :r .r~ wt s
Auditorium ~.lja~~ Q[~ .n I
Kiosks c. ~ ~ Along
` r
3 ' ~1,~:n' ~'~t"'tGt;;^'. r..~c.~~'tt-''~~~Li .t~,ld Can~nTrall
CQYOFkfOIJU)wt- '~'••i~r' Ia~t. _ _ r ~ I®tgLligJ®®j~~ (f
O # Ip
MOUNri1R~Vr•1v15 B ~ I
Auditorium ~ •t n tr. ac~~~ i
~ y j 1 .Dining Hall
Original Entrance l~ ' ' ~ 1H,~ _ , tu.r;,y,,;:r,T„_-n7 ~p,•:
r:~ A ten, 1~Vesc Facade
W1:C: %T ':t: I I~ f wI:
i~ ~ . corium ~ ~ I ~ ~_sl Q -`_:'I _ z,a L .Vv7-~ ((~g~ -y~ I i ~ Ia+AV Aurlun
4 tJ 1N.t® l~ r_ _ ..a.~.
• r ~ '!;t" r: S•ivr•: L'1 , too ~ -Y - ,5., Intersection
i rep.°N urwa G,f;ytu. •,.;!.uJ.l~_:,t-~;,. ofClematb
• r , • ~Dinlhg Hall ° 1-" • J~®® lFJL'f I f--'_t ~I & Klnnikinic
• j ' Itl,r.'rlorRestrooms x ~ _ y „e tra ~ ~ ~
t j Dining Hall s - r. ,u•;; i~;i n F _ W~,v r.tRu
EzZer[or IAAa _ ~ I;"ua.1 .u TnAhtad
.
Restrooms• _ - - S ~ ~ ® Kiosk
, t'r, .:t~!'y Centennial
`B ~ Pc ac,u~,a. 'S "'t Garden ~ ~ Cottage Pathway
Playgroudd: less ru+o of ~ SW Corn¢r nqr bathroom
` I South~:awn R'' _
n 1 , . CHAU`'AUQUAQRL•'EN l 1, 2 future Busl
• I I tr+:u I ~ I _ r ' ~ I' wl:o Car Pullout
e' E II _ • t 6' Cbautau ties
1 • - t:_._ _ _ t• w19 Green q
' Dining Hall d - - - - Kinniklghs. ± (near current
~ RestroomAlcove abOSMP •nic tableu
. _ ~ Peskin oc
eP,.~....4 .
- - : nnr.-r-oy
I ~ ~ ~
King's Gate Grant Strtet Entrance
I 7
2 PIHL Bronze
Piaquas PosslbleVisltor Center
Location: Cottage l00
Please sec pages 42-57 for decal! on messaging Along Clematit
to be presented et each location.
Sec<ron 6 • RecommendaeK,ris bi ~mp!emenecbn COS tr.
Colorado ChautauSw Association -Interpretive SQrvitet Plan 71 t4rd, 2Dp6