FLOWERY BRANCH — Motorists leaving Interstate 985 at Spout Springs Road now will be greeted by flashing messages from a sturdy new brick-and-stone Flowery Branch sign.

The city Thursday displayed its first message, "Welcome to Flowery Branch."

It’s been a long time in coming.

"I’ve been kind of bugging everybody for years (about) when is it going up," Mayor Diane Hirling said Thursday. "There were some obstacles we had to overcome in order to get the property, but now that we have (the sign), I’m thrilled."

The sign, at 12 feet high, 18 feet wide and 3 feet thick, cost $37,211, with the Atlanta Falcons donating $32,000 toward the structure several years ago. It declares Flowery Branch as "Home of the Atlanta Falcons."

Integrated Sign Systems in Oakwood built the sign.

The city scouted out several locations for the sign, including Thurmond Tanner Parkway and Phil Niekro Boulevard, said the city’s planning director, James Riker.

When Stonebridge Village, a regional shopping center off Spout Springs and Hog Mountain roads, began "to evolve as a real project, the city decided to abandon other locations we were
considering and started working with the developer there to construct a sign in that center," Riker said.

The developer, Halvorsen Development of Boca Raton, Fla., was "receptive to (having the sign on its property) provided it was designed with consistent materials similar to the signs that exist for the center" off Spout Springs and Hog Mountain roads, he added.

"The stone and the brick all match exactly with the main (center) entrance sign. The colors are the same color palette," Riker said.

The sign sits in the extreme corner of the Stonebridge property across from Holland Dam Road.

City officials now are working to determine what messages the sign can display. The sign can flash the time and temperature and has the ability for some graphics, Riker said.

"Basically, there will be an internal document as to how the sign will be used," he added.

Hirling said she sees the sign as "a way that we can possibly announce our meetings so more residents know when our meetings are, and maybe (advertise) some city events we are having."