Poll: 3 Out of 4 Say Hold Design Contest for New OB Planning Board Logo

The OB Rag ran a poll on whether locals wanted the Ocean Beach Planning Board to hold a design contest, after the current Board changed the one that has been in use for 3 to 4 decades. The change came about at the request of the guy who designed the original OB seagull decal, Bob Sorben.

Nearly three out of every 4 respondents voted to have the design contest. 73% of those who took the poll answered ‘yes’ to the survey question:

The OB Planning Board recently changed their logo without public input. As an OBcean how do you feel about holding a design contest for a new image?

Eleven per cent said ‘no’. 14% replied that they lived in OB and didn’t care. A 1% said they lived outside OB and didn’t care.

Sixty-four readers responded to the poll. (The poll can be viewed here.)

Still, a substantial quarter of those who did respond and who said they lived in OB either were opposed to the contest or didn’t care about it. Yet, there was an overwhelming affirmation of the idea of the design contest with nearly 3 out of 4 saying ‘on with it!’

The poll of course is not binding, was not scientific and only counted those readers who participated.  But it is a definite reflection of the views of our readers – local or not.

Whether the Planning Board will take all of this in stride and view it all in the good-natured way it was presented and see it as at least a good trend of local views on the subject remains to be seen.  We urge them to see the whole thing – and especially the process – as a ‘community-building’ experience that is inclusive, transparent – and most of all – fun.

It can bring out the artists of the village to try their hand at designing a new logo for the only community organization that is directly elected by the community and sanctioned by our history and by the City. Getting OBceans involved with their planning board is a goal – keeping the spirit that was generated last summer and then last December during the Holiday Parade.

This whole idea of the design contest for a new logo for the OB Planning Board comes out of a respect for the venerable organization that has played a substantial part in keeping over-development out of OB for nearly 4 decades, while involving hundreds if not thousands of community volunteers over those years.

Details of the contest can be worked out. It can even be handed over to another community organization to run the contest.  There is no clock ticking. There’s plenty of time. One commenter to our article suggested the design options could be voted upon at the next OB Planning Board election.

So, c’mon – let’s have a design contest.

Or not.