A. The historic preservation commission shall review suggestions for historical signage and determine whether the proposal to install historical signage is appropriate.

B. Criteria for Signage. The historic preservation commission shall determine, based on the factual natural of the proposal, the degree of significance, and the connection to the site whether a historic sign is appropriate. If the site is a city road end, feedback from the marine access committee (MAC) will also be considered.

C. Process for Proposing Historical Signage.

1. Candidate sites for historical signage may be proposed to the historic preservation commission by:

a. Owner; or

b. Any member of the public.

2. Suggestions should identify the candidate site and the significant event/person/structure that is associated with the site. Proposals should not include specific language for the suggested sign. The development of content is a collaborative process completed by the historic preservation commission and the Bainbridge Island History Museum (BIHM).

3. Determination of Appropriateness.

a. If the proposed site is a city road end, the MAC will be informed and the historic preservation commission will request feedback on whether the MAC supports the suggestion for historical signage at that site.

b. The historic preservation commission will review the suggestion for historical signage and will determine whether the proposal to install historical signage is appropriate. The historic preservation commission’s determination will be based on the factual nature of the proposal, the degree of significance, and the connection to the specific site. If the site is a city road end, the feedback from the MAC shall also be considered.

4. Content of Signage.

a. If the historic preservation commission determines that the suggestion for signage is appropriate, the historic preservation commission will work in collaboration with the BIHM to develop specific language and other signage content (graphics, photos, etc.). The BIHM will attest to the historical accuracy of the wording, including references where needed.

b. The draft of the sign shall be submitted to the historic preservation commission for final approval. The sign must meet all of the following criteria:

i. The sign shall be historically accurate.

ii. The story must have a relationship to the location.

iii. The sign shall be clear, concise and address only the salient historic facts. (Ord. 2016-11 § 2, 2016)