Neighborhood Sign Guide

The Arts Commission of the City of Tulsa applauds your neighborhood association for taking the time and effort to create ideas for your neighborhood sign. These signs often reflect historical or significant features that make your neighborhood unique.

Design Ideas
When you are preparing ideas for the sign, keep in mind they will typically be seen from the roadway by people in transit. Small details will be overlooked, so consider colors, designs and shapes that are easily recognized. Text on the sign should be legible and contrast with the background color for additional impact. Block letters and letters with outlines have proven to be good choices. If you have time, look at other neighborhood signs and see which you think are good examples.

Steps to Having Your Sign Approved

• Having your sign approved is simple if you follow the steps in this brochure. If you have questions, please call the contact persons for assistance; they will be glad to help. Getting answers to your questions prior to meetings will often help to make the process less stressful. There is no time limit on the approval process once you get started.
  
  
• The Arts Commission typically meets once a month at City Hall. The meetings are normally on the second Monday of the month. For more specifics, you should contact the Arts Commission at least two weeks prior to the meeting to be included on the agenda.
  
  
• At the same time, you will need to provide the Arts Commission a color copy (or an electronic .jpg or .pdf file) of your proposed sign so the Arts Commissioners and staff may review the sign prior to the Commission Meeting.
  
  
• Once your neighborhood association is on the Arts Commission agenda, representatives will need to attend the meeting and display the proposed design for the sign. Please bring 15 color copies of any handouts. You will be asked to make a short presentation to the Commissioners about how your association chose the proposed design and possibly answer a few questions. The Commissioners will often offer some suggestions to make your design more visible and pleasing to the eye. These suggestions may include subtle changes to your design, as well as the type of font and the colors to be utilized.

Policy on Neighborhood Identification Signs

1.0 Signs shall be installed by city personnel on the backs of existing STOP signs at various entry points along the arterial streets which form the perimeter of the neighborhood. Signs will not be installed at interior locations except along a major arterial street which bisects a neighborhood.

2.0 Signing agreements will be made only with registered neighborhood associations. Arrangements with individuals or unregistered groups of neighbors will not be considered.

3.0 Signs shall be fabricated according to Traffic Operations requirements after the artwork has been approved by the Tulsa Arts Commission.

4.0 Traffic Operations will not stock spare signs for replacement. Replacements must be provided by the neighborhood association on a one-for-one basis for specific locations as the need arises. It is suggested that at least 15 percent more signs be purchased on the initial order in order to avoid costly reruns.

5.0 Vandalized or damaged signs will normally be removed by city personnel and disposed of as scrap signs. These signs can be returned to the neighborhood association if arrangements are made.

6.0 Implementation procedures shall consist of the following steps:

6.1 Neighborhood association presents a written proposal which includes a map or list of specific locations to the Traffic Operations Section, City of Tulsa.

6.2 Traffic Operations reviews and tentatively approves locations.

6.3 Neighborhood association secures Arts Commission approval for their artwork and for their proposed sign locations.

6.4 Neighborhood association provides finished signs to Traffic Operations.

6.5 Traffic Operations installs signs according to the approved list of locations.

6.6 Neighborhood association monitors sign condition and provides replacements as needed.

7.0 Fabrication requirements are as follows:

7.1 Sign blank shall be a 22" circle. Artwork must fit on that circle but need not itself be circular.

7.2 Vertical hole spacing shall be 18".

7.3 Hole size shall be 3/8".

7.4 Sign blank material shall be .063" aluminum.

7.5 Sign faces shall be 100% reflected except for black features.

7.6 These color combinations shall not be used:

a. Red legend on white background
b. White legend on red background
c. Black legend on yellow background
d. Black legend on an orange background

8.0 The Traffic Operations contact person shall be:

City Traffic Engineer
Phone: (918) 596-9744
Fax: (918) 596-9713

9.0 The Tulsa Arts Commission contact person shall be:

Tulsa Planning Office
c/o Arts and Culture Program 
Phone: (918) 579-9455