RDC grants owner permission to place promenade sign on city property, contingent on MOU and staff approval

The Portage Redevelopment Commission voted Wednesday to grant the owner of the Promenade permission to install signage on city-owned property at Founders Square, with the approval contingent on an accepted memorandum of understanding and final staff approval of landscaping and other details.

Tom (presenter) described a sketch of the proposed sign that would use an existing pillar and provide street-side visibility for businesses located in the Promenade’s interior. The commission discussed whether the structure would be a lease, who would pay for construction, and which party would handle long-term maintenance; staff said the Promenade owner would build the sign and the agreement should spell out maintenance responsibilities and any lease terms.

In discussion commissioners said they viewed the sign as an economic driver for businesses that currently have limited visibility from the main thoroughfare. The city’s legal counsel and staff were asked to draft an MOU or lease language that would allow an initial rent-free period and provide a review mechanism; staff also noted a gap had been left in the design for vehicle and emergency-vehicle sightlines.

A motion to grant approval, contingent on an accepted MOU and staff approval of landscaping and related requirements, passed on a voice vote after a motion and a second were recorded. The motion did not set a fee schedule; staff said details on lease duration, rent and maintenance responsibilities would be finalized in the MOU and brought to the commission or executed under staff authority according to the agreement’s terms.

The action was limited to granting permission to install the sign on city property; the commission did not approve a permanent lease or other long-term revenue arrangement during the meeting.