An initiative to liven Montana Avenue has become popular with local businesses, despite some early pushback from locals concerned with environmental matters.
This past month, the Montana Avenue Merchant Association installed specialized plaques onto the street’s ficus trees, placed between 7th and 17th St. to recognize sponsors of a lighting program on the street. Montana was lit up at nighttime in prior years to illuminate businesses, including during the holidays, and Association President David Kianmahd felt that bringing back the lights would help retailers that have been “suffering” in the post-pandemic period.
The LED paneling set up along Montana is planned to go on at sunset through 11 p.m., with the panels using less power than other options and can be made “fun for the holidays” such as using patriotic coloring for Independence Day and green coloring for St. Patrick’s Day.
“It makes Montana Avenue more attractive, which in turn brings in more foot traffic, which brings in more sales, which allows businesses to do better and pay their rent so they can stay on the street,” Kianmahd said.
Lighting costs the association roughly $35,000 annually, which would take up a large chunk of the $85,000 budget given each year by the City of Santa Monica. To alleviate these costs, Kianmahd gave local businesses “first crack” at plaques, with half of the 73 trees already purchased thus far. The initiative was given unanimous approval by the association’s board, and Kianmahd was also given the go-ahead by the City’s Urban Forest team by using screws installed on springs to avoid ripping up the ficus trees. Additionally, the metallic mix of these screws will not lead to any toxicity leaking into trees.
Though the plan was openly bandied about for a while, and was crafted with the most environmentally safe options available, multiple citizens took to social media sites like NextDoor to voice their concerns. Among the complaints were that trees were “desecrated” with plaque installation, and that some businesses used the plaques to promote their website and social media sites. One particular set of plaques, sponsored by Coldwell Banker realtor Kate Bransfield, was targeted due to featuring a QR code promoting her realty efforts.
Kianmahd responded to the complaints by saying “this was all a very transparent program” built to help promote merchants and keep the smaller business charm of the avenue.
“We talked about it in the public meetings, we sent emails about the sponsorships, we emailed about the plaques, everyone knew what was going on, and no one had anything to say until they saw the plaques up,” Kianmahd said. “It’s not harming the trees at all, the thing that harms the trees are people putting up their (fliers) for their garage sales and leaving the nails and leaving the staples (in) the trees.”
Despite the complaints, the Montana association plans on plaques remaining in perpetuity, with an annual renewal process to get new businesses involved. Lamenting the closure of sites like Sweet Lady Jane on the avenue, Kianmahd wants local businesses to stay at the forefront of Montana’s scene.
“This is a way to sponsor Montana Avenue, and the plaque is our token of appreciation for the sponsorship (which) allows us to make Montana Avenue busy again,” Kianmahd said. “Merchants who have small businesses can get the foot traffic, they need to pay their rent so you don’t get big chain stores coming onto the street and kind of ruining the charm.”
