Andrew Birkelbach, University of Arizona, Master of Science in Urban Planning
One of the first observations I had upon arriving in Nantucket was how difficult navigation was. Seldom was I aware of the name of the street I was on, and I was heavily reliant upon my cell phone. Soon I realized this confusion was due to the lack of signage around the island that provides information to tourists. After delving into this topic, I further learned how historic sites and other services are crippled by strict sign regulations that are targeted to limit the amount of commercial signage throughout town to preserve a simple aesthetic. Signage regulations in Nantucket have severely limited how information is conveyed to residents and tourists, and informative signs could be regulated with less scrutiny than commercial signs.
The inspiration for this project was the 1976 PIN report which focused on signage. This report mostly focused on design and what the group deemed “overall good design” (Alig, Turner, 1976). Also, each signage type was detailed, but largely just as a way to inform the audience of these different classifications. Few stances are taken in this project, but the authors do note that quarter boards were an overused fad for labeling businesses (Alig, Turner, 1976). There has been a lot of additional regulation for signage in Nantucket since 1976, mainly the adaptation of the first “Sign Book” guidelines in 1981. Since these comprehensive guidelines were established, numerous updates have been made to “The Sign Book,” the most recent was in 2021. Signage regulations on Nantucket are particularly strict compared to the rest of the United States, and these regulations are largely used to preserve the simple aesthetic of the town. However, the preservation of this aesthetic ultimately limits the information that is conveyed through signage used for informative purposes.
The previous PIN report presented a case study where “overall good design” was shown through several signs. I revisited all of these signs that were still standing today, and then wanted to expand this case study into the “rural” part of the island. The signage in the rural areas of Nantucket is very different from the downtown core where the PIN report focused on. Other than the previous PIN research, I looked into several versions of “The Sign Book” to see how some regulations have changed over time; the ban on freestanding signs is particularly interesting. Also, several current challenges were outlined using journalistic articles as sources. The Sign Advisory Council posts their meetings online, and I used one of these to illustrate how the approval process works.
My proposal is that more public information signage be allowed on the island. The current Sign Book only allows one public information signs per lot (The Sign Book, 2021). This regulation prevents information from being conveyed to tourists and residents of Nantucket. For example, events and information about the Atheneum are incredibly limited to a few panels outside of the building, which are easily missed. The signage for the Atheneum only tells a passerby the name of the building. Limitations on informative signage also prevent sites like the Museum of African American History, and other places of interest along the Black Heritage Trail, from proper advertisement. A second public information sign that could be used in the African American History Museum could be a flag that marks it as a site on the Black Heritage Trail.
The next steps in this research would be an evaluation of the effectiveness of increased public information signage. This experiment would be done by allowing some additional signage on a few sites and observing how tourists respond to the new signage. If the new signage does little to change how tourists navigate the island, then there is hardly a reason to change the sign code. However, if additional signs bring more tourists to these underrepresented locations, then the code should be changed to allow for more public information signage.
Citation List
- Alig, L., Turner, J.. (1976). Nantucket Case Study: Signs. Preservation Institute of Nantucket.
- Artificial Flower Rules for National Cemeteries. (2018, June 4). GravesideFlowers.Com. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- Fader, Marsha L., Churchill, Elizabeth. (1989). The Sign Book: Regulations and Guidelines for Signs. Nantucket Historic District Commission.
- Graziedei, Jason. NanTaco Faces Fines, Misdemeanor Charge Over Sign. Nantucket Current. (2022, July 25).
- Karttunen, F.. (2008). A History of Roads and Ways in Nantucket County. Nantucket Town and County Roads and Right of Way Committee.
- Levine, Morgan J.. (1981). Regulations and Guidelines for Signs. Nantucket Historic District Commission.
- Marchant, R. (2022, April 4). Old Greenwich shopkeeper ordered to remove outdoor floral display or face consequences. GreenwichTimes.
- Nantucket Government TV. (2022, July 5). Sign Advisory Council—07/05/2022.
- Town & County of Nantucket. (2021). The Sign Book.
Contact List
- Marsha Fader, AIA