LAist stated that these signs indicate “official L.A. neighborhood” designation[2][3] and in 2008 estimated that Los Angeles had 185 neighborhoods with an official "blue sign.”[4]
The process of securing a neighborhood sign – from application to installation – takes between 12 and 18 months.
The standard neighborhood sign is rectangular and features white letters on a blue background.[1] The city seal is displayed on the sign.
Alternative colors and shapes are possible upon request provided they comply with federal and state law. Example: octagonal signs painted red are reserved for stop signs.
Process
The Los Angeles City Council adopted a policy on January 31, 2006 (Council File No. 02-0196), which provided a process to either change a neighborhood name or create one where none previously existed. A written application, including a petition, must be filed with the City Clerk to initiate the process.[5] The application must have 500 signatures or, if the population of the neighborhood is less than 2,500 residents, then the petition should contain signatures from 20% of the population. A legal description (street boundaries) of the area must also be included. A map of the proposed area must be also attached. After concurrence from the local councilman's office, the neighborhood signs are then posted by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT).[1]
Timeframe
Examples cited in local papers indicate that the beginning-to-end process (application to installation) takes twelve to eighteen months:
Residents of Reseda Ranch submitted their application to the city on January 17, 2007.[6] It was approved on December 7, 2007.[7] The neighborhood sign was installed in August 2008.[8]
Neighborhood leaders in Little Bangladesh organized residents for more than a year to lobby the Los Angeles City Council. The designation was approved in 2010 and neighborhood signs were installed in 2011.[9]
After spending eight months collecting signatures,[10] community leaders in West Los Angeles submitted an application change the official name of their neighborhood to Sawtelle Japantown on December 1, 2014.[11][12] On February 25, 2015, the City Council unanimously approved the neighborhood designation.[13] The sign was installed on the corner of Olympic and Sawtelle Boulevards on March 29, 2015.[14]
Other types of signage
In addition to the blue neighborhood signs, the city also offers signage for neighborhoods of historical significance and places of cultural significance (designated as such by a federal or state agency or by resolution of the City Council).[1]
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