Fuji highway sign plan hits snag

A proposal to erect a large roadway sign to designate Fuji Park and Fairgrounds at Carson City’s south edge hit a speed bump Tuesday night, slowing it for at least a month.

The Parks and Recreation Commission tabled a motion to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve $30,000 in Quality of Life Question 18 money for the $70,000 initial phase. Eventually, if more funding developed, the project would cost $378,000 and feature an LED lighting display sign along U.S. Highway 395. Initially, however, the top part where the LED sign could go would feature interchangeable banner signs.

The commission balked at spending the $30,000, yet members indicated that with changes, they might go forward with a recommendation next month. Donna Curtis, acting as chairwoman, said she wanted city staff to figure out ways that could bring in revenue from the sign to help build a fund for future phases.

Supervisor John McKenna, who sits on the commission, said the full governing board gives weight to citizen recommendations, and he wanted his commission colleagues to decide eventually even though he had concerns about the first phase. He questioned the location, for example, and whether it might be better to await full funding for the LED sign.

“I don’t see that this is part of something that’s going to succeed,” he said, noting the first phase plan is part of what he called “old thinking.”

Staff told the commission the sign would be 25 feet high and 35 feet wide at the banner level, with less wide signs below that. They said the top part would be about double the size of the LED sign recently erected on William Street in front of the Community Center.

Other funding for the Fuji sign’s first phase, if it goes forward, would be covered by a $20,000 grant from the Nevada Commission on Tourism and $20,000 recommended by the Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee.

The commission also heard a presentation by Rob Heaton, a Carson City native, who recently opened the Talents Athletic Center LLC at 2749 N. Carson St. next to Harbor Freight Tools. Heaton, who donated a $6,000 scoreboard for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Governors Field, said his business has 20,000 square feet of indoor space with turf for youth sports.

Heaton said among the sports and services are soccer, flag football, pertinent workouts, generic field rentals and batting cages for both softball or hardball practice hitting.