CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Sign Post Installed in CdM Median — But More Work Could Be Done

A banner frame paid for by the Corona del Mar Business Improvement District has been installed in the median at East Coast Highway and Marguerite Avenue. But the project, which was approved by the City Council eleven months ago, may need another improvement — moving the pedestrian signal post that is right in the middle of the banner.

“Maybe B.I.D. can pay to move it,” said Bernie Svalstad, a member of the B.I.D. board, at the group’s September meeting. Board members did not vote on the topic, which could come up at a future meeting.

“It looks so much better than the bed sheet, and it does exactly what we planned,” said B.I.D. member C. Scott Palmer. “When there’s nothing in there, it disappears.”

The location is a popular advertising spot for local events. But local leaders, including Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Gardner, thought the old frame looked shoddy — two leaning poles with banners of all sizes stretched between. In February 2010, the City Council rejected a proposal to add an electronic sign to the median, saying the $42,000 plan was too “Las Vegas-ish;” read our earlier story here.

Last October, the Newport Beach City Council approved plans for a powder-coated permanent frame that cost $2,000. When signs aren’t in place, the cross bars can be removed, and the green-colored posts would blend into the background; read our story here.