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CDD Supervisors Look At Sign Designs

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By GEORGE WILKENS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2007

TAMPA PALMS - Like proud new homeowners choosing carpet colors, Tampa Palms Community Development District supervisors spent nearly two hours perusing proposed designs for new village entry signs.

At their Nov. 14 meeting, supervisors scrutinized a half-dozen designs by the architectural firm Hardeman Kempton & Associates before ultimately suggesting a hybrid look for the 45 brick monuments for the residential villages and commercial entities in Tampa Palms Areas 1 and 2.

"I think the costs are going to be very similar," Ted Kempton said of the various signs unveiled during his illustrated presentation, leaving supervisors to judge the designs on aesthetic merits alone.

CDD chairman Gene Field said a two-hour tour of the property revealed existing entry signs lack uniformity. Some are low, others high. The 7-foot-high entry sign for the village of Kensington includes a planter and features gold letters on a black background, he noted.

"We really have to look at this on a village-by-village basis," said supervisor Bill Shimer.

Supervisor Randy Marlowe added: "I don't want to standardize our villages. We have some very attractive signs" in place needing little, if any, modification.

Kensington's sign is among those mimicking the previously approved style for new monument signs to be erected at the main Tampa Palms entries on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Those will have gold letters on a black granite background. The existing signs have gold lettering on a background of blue tile.

Supervisors generally agreed that the new signs should discretely incorporate the community's palm tree logo.

After an hour of discussion, the five supervisors spent 40 minutes summarizing their preferences.

Several suggested incorporating features from one or more of the designs, which included signs with a three-dimensional effect, others with arched tops and with or without the palm tree logo.

Kempton agreed to return to the drawing board and develop designs incorporating a blend of features most supervisors approved.

Construction of the new signs could begin in February if building permits are obtained as scheduled.

The new signs are part of Tampa Palms Visioning 2011, a joint project of the Tampa Palms CDD and the Tampa Palms Owners Association, intended to refresh the community developed in 1986.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4847 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.

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