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e. Pavements, Street Furniture, and Landscaping. Streets, alleys, pedestrian-
<br />ways, and open spaces, including pavements, furniture, and landscape plant-
<br />ing, should be functional and supportive of a common design theme for
<br />downtown New Brighton.
<br />Street lighting fixtures, hydrants, signals and signs, newsstands, waste
<br />containers, benches, shrubs and trees, planting boses, and similar features are
<br />the "furniture" of the street. The manner in which they function and their
<br />appearance affect both the efficiency and the attractiveness of the street
<br />and of adjacent properties, as well as the welfare and safety of passersby.
<br />Individual objects-signs, light fixtures, etc.-should be functional and simply
<br />designed. Street furniture should be arranged and consolidated into func-
<br />tional, as well as aesthetic, groupings in strategic locations. In many
<br />instances, the functions of street furniture should be provided from adjacent
<br />development; for example, streets and walks may be lighted by fixtures
<br />mounted on adjacent buildings; fire hydrants, benches, waste containers,
<br />newsstands, and street signs may also be built into or affixed to adjacent
<br />structures.
<br />The design of pavements (concrete, cobbles, gravel, etc.), planting beds
<br />(flowers or shurbs), and shade trees should be used to delineate major paths of
<br />pedestrian circulation, prohibit undesirable or unsafe pedestrian movements,
<br />highlight special focal points or furniture groupings, and minimize the need
<br />for and use of signs.
<br />• The design of street furniture and landscaping should distinguish downtown
<br />from the rest of the community and should emphasize the special character
<br />or environment of New Brighton. The character of materials and design
<br />elements should build on the unique historical architectural, environmental,
<br />and or social characteristics of New Brighton.
<br />More generous use should be made of landscaping. Plantings can have
<br />significant value by recalling (in the central area) the beauty of gardens and
<br />parks, softening the harsh, severe effects of continuous pavement and
<br />building structures, and bringing color and variety into the downtown scene.
<br />d. Signs. In determining the location, design, and control of signs, the primary
<br />concern should be the efficient communication of important information.
<br />Also, signs should contribute to, not detract from, the appearance of
<br />downtown New Brighton.
<br />Signs are of special importance in downtown because there is much informa-
<br />tion about the area that needs to be transmitted, including the identification
<br />of individual businesses and buildings; the provision of directional and traffic
<br />safety information; and the identification of streets, historic features, and
<br />other points of general interest.
<br />Control should be exercised over the location, construction, and design of all
<br />signs to minimize conflicts among them and to insure their harmonious
<br />• incorporation into the overall appearance of the area, while preserving their
<br />ability to transmit needed information.
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