[Date changed–posted 11/20/20 (replaces 5/4/16 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 61.19: Freestanding Exterior Signs for Projects under $2 Million

DATE: November 20, 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish standards for freestanding exterior signs to ensure consistency with the architectural and landscape character of the university with maximum resistance to weathering and vandalism and with minimum continuing maintenance costs.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in November of every fourth year by the Managing Director of Grounds Maintenance, the Managing Director of Building Maintenance & Construction (BMC), and the Associate Vice President for Operations with substantive revisions forwarded to the Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Implementation

a.    Requests for freestanding exterior signs must be approved by the Facilities Allocation Council (FAC).

b.    All exterior sign requests will need a project request and Opinion of Probable Cost (OPC). Projects are to be requested through the website (http://tmaisd.operations.ttu.edu/), and then the project manager for the project will submit the request to the FAC.

c.    The FAC will review the project for final approval and, if approved, the FAC will determine the source of funding, e.g., requesting department, FAC funds, or other.

d.    Once funding has been established, the FAC administrator will notify the project manager who, in turn, will work with BMC and Grounds Maintenance for procurement and installation.

e.    The FAC shall provide a source of funding for maintenance, repair, and/or replacement of approved exterior signs when the need arises since maintenance, etc., is not included in the elements of institutional costs set forth by the legislature.

f.    Freestanding signs provided as a type of advertisement for the contractors for projects under $2 million are prohibited. Signs on construction trailers, dumpsters, etc., are allowed. All signage must be requested, coordinated, and approved by the project manager of the project.

2.  Design and Construction Standards

a.    Non-illuminated sign panels are to be constructed of thermo-setting polyester resin reinforced with chopped glass fiber strands (fiberglass). Panels are to be sealed to prevent fiber bloom and to provide an undercoat for graphics.

b.    Panels are to consist of a minimum 1/8-inch thick material with integral returns fully encapsulating a wood and foam core. Wood is to be used for internal structure and hardware mounting. Edges and corners are to be finished with a 1/8-inch radius. Each sign panel is to appear as a one-piece monolith.

c.    Graphics and background are to be opaque. Graphics and sign colors shall be subsurface, integral with the molded sign structure, and protected by a polyurethane coating with ultraviolet inhibitors.

Sign finish shall be matte, not exceeding 25 degrees of gloss. Sign finish shall be smooth, free of scratches, gouges, air bubbles, bulging, glass fiber strands between surface and background color, foreign matter, and other imperfections.

d.    Inorganic pigments are to be used for coloring to minimize fading. Ultraviolet inhibitors are to be used where possible to maximize color stability.

e.    Background color is to match standard dark bronze anodized aluminum. Text color is to be white.

f.    Sign lettering, directional arrows, and symbols shall be specified in drawings and sign schedules. All messages should be in the Helvetica Medium lettering style. All lettering shall accurately reproduce the letter form and edges, and corners shall be true, clean, and photographically precise.

g.    All paints, inks, resins, and other materials used shall be compatible and guaranteed not to cause discolorations, deterioration, or delamination of any materials used in fabrication.

h.    Base-mounted signs are to be constructed on concrete foundations.

i.    Post-mounted signs are to be supported by heavy-gauge aluminum extrusions of a standard dark bronze anodized surface.

j.    Post holes shall have smooth sides and be of uniform dimension. Posts will be centered in holes and a minimum of two inches away from earthen sides.

Legs of post-mounted signs shall extend a minimum of three feet below ground and be anchored in concrete. Concrete shall be five-sack 3,000 psi portland cement concrete with a three-inch slump.

k.    Design wind load for all signs shall be 100 miles per hour.

l.    Signs are to be cleanable with proper use of nonabrasive cleaning agents such as lacquer thinner, paint removers, methyl ethyl ketone, soaps, detergents, and any other similar cleansers without damage to the sign surface or structure.

m.    If mounted in grass areas, all signs shall be provided with four-inch thick portland cement concrete mowing pads with outside dimensions extending 12 inches beyond all sign surfaces. The top of the mowing pad is to be one inch above the adjacent ground surface.

n.    If a department fabricates and installs its own exterior sign on a self-help project, it must meet all standards in this OP. If such standards are not met, actions will be taken to remove unsatisfactory work and rebuild and install new exterior signage at the expense of the department, as addressed in OP 61.35, Requesting Approval for Building Self-help Projects, section 6.

 

Attachment A: Building Identification without Parking Use Description

Attachment B: Pedestrian Information

OP Categories

01 Chancellor
02 Development
04 Audit Services
10 President
30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
32 Academic Policies – Faculty
34 Academic Policies – Students
36 Academic Programs
40 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
48 Communication Services
52 Information Technology
60 Environmental Health and Safety
61 Facilities Management
62 Financial and Accounting
63 General Services
64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
65 Research Accounting
66 Libraries
67 Mail Services
68 Communications and Marketing
69 Payroll and Tax Services
70 Human Resources
72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
74 Research
76 Security
77 Student Services and Registrar
78 Traffic and Parking
79 Travel
80 Vehicles