HomeMy WebLinkAboutLED Signage
Bruce Nawrocki
Mayor:
Gary L. Peterson
Councilmembers:
Bobby Williams
Tammera Diehm
Bruce Kelzenberg
Bruce Nawrocki
City Manager:
Walter R. Fehst
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
DATE: May 5, 2008
TO: Columbia Heights City Council, Mayor Peterson
FROM: Jeff Sargent, City Planner
RE: LED Signage and Dynamic Signage
INTRODUCTION
Upon completion of the municipal liquor stores and monument signs for each, Bill Elrite
approached the Planning Department inquiring about the possibility of incorporating an electronic
reader board sign on the monument signs to help promote sales. I informed Mr. Elrite that our
current Sign Code and Design Guidelines specifically prohibit the use of changeable electronic
signs, and that we should get feedback from the City Council as to whether we, as a City, should
amend our ordinance to allow such signage.
Much research on dynamic signage has been done, as many other cities have recently amended
their ordinance to regulated electronic signs throughout their respective cities. The following
report includes the City of Columbia Heights’ standards regarding dynamic signage, the different
types of dynamic signs available, and options that the City Council could pursue.
CURRENT SIGN REGULATIONS
Section 9.106 (P)(6)(e – f), Prohibited Signs, lists “an animated or rotating sign, except barber
poles and signs displaying time and temperature information only in the animated or rotating
portion thereof” and “a flashing sign, including indoor flashing, electronic signs visible from the
public right-of-way, other than time and temperature signs limited to such time and temperature
information”, as specifically prohibited in the City of Columbia Heights.
The Design Guidelines state, “Variable electronic message signs are not permitted, with the
exception of existing time/temperature signs.
WHAT IS LED SIGNAGE AND DYNAMIC SIGNAGE?
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, and is the industry-standard way of describing a changeable
electronic sign. Per a study conducted by SRF Consulting Group, Inc. for the City of Minnetonka,
a definition of Dynamic Signage was given as:
Any characteristics of a sign that appear to have movement or that appear to
change, caused by any method other than physically removing and replacing the
sign or its components, whether the apparent movement or change is in the
display, the sign structure itself, or any other component of the sign.
This includes a display that incorporates a technology or method allowing the sign face to change
the image without having to physically or mechanically replace the sign face or its components.
This also includes any rotating, revolving, moving, flashing, blinking, or animated display and any
display that incorporates rotating panels, LED lights manipulated through digital input, “digital
ink” or any other method or technology that allows the sign face to present a series of images or
displays.
Examples of such signage include Electronic Changeable Copy signs, Electronic Graphic Display
signs, Video Display signs, and Time and Temperature signs. Figure 1 is an example of some
proposed sign standards used by the City of Bloomington, and shows the difference between the
above-listed signs.
CITY COUNCIL OPTIONS
Prohibit Electronic and Dynamic Signage.
1.If this option is pursued, City Staff recommends
revising the current City Code regarding signage to better address the disallowance of both
electronic and dynamic signage.
Allow only some types of Electronic and Dynamic Signage.
2.There are many types of
electronic and dynamic signage available. The City Council could choose to only allow certain
types for display throughout the City. For example: only permit electronic changeable copy
signs, while prohibiting full-color video signs.
Allow all types of Electronic and Dynamic Signage but regulate the performance
3.
standards of each sign.
Restrictions to the types of signs allowed in each district,
dimensional criteria, and placement on the property could be required. More regulatory
measures are listed below.
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TYPES OF REGULATORTY MEASURES (as suggested by SRF)
1.Complete or Partial Prohibition of Electronic Signs
Possible Requirements:
Only allow electronic signs in specific areas of the City or for specific uses. For
example, disallow them in residential zoning districts, but allow them for High Schools.
Require that signs be a certain distance from certainly zoned parcels (residential).
Require that such signs may not be visible from certainly zoned parcels.
2.Size Limitations on Electronic Signs
Possible Requirements:
Only allow electronic signs to be used as a part of monument signs, and then limit the
percentage of the monument sign that the electronic sign can encompass.
Establish an overall size restriction on any type of electronic sign.
3.Rate-of-Change Limitations on Electronic Signs
Possible Requirements:
Establish a minimum time duration between message copy changes. Example: Permit
electronic message signs to change only one time per X seconds/minutes/hours.
Prohibit scrolling signs, flashing signs, blinking signs
4.Motion, Animation, or Video Limitations on Electronic Signs
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Possible Requirements:
Prohibit these types of signs, defined as having the capability of displaying more than
10 frames per second.
5.Sign Placement and Spacing
Possible Requirements:
Establish minimum distances between each electronic sign.
Establish minimum distances between signs and residentially zoned properties.
6.Text Size
Possible Requirements:
Establish minimum text height to make it easier for drivers to see the text, thus making
it easier to concentrate on the driving task.
7.Brightness Limitations on Electronic Signs
Possible Requirements:
Limit the brightness of each sign to reduce amount of glare.
Require automatic adjusting signs regarding brightness levels
POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES TO ELECTRONIC SIGNS
1.More aesthetically pleasing than manual changeable message boards.
2.Would decrease the number of temporary signs.
3.Could possibly result in higher revenue for sign owner. The more messages, the more
number of sales?
4.A good means to promote public announcements and information.
POSSIBLE DISADVANTAGES TO ELECTRONIC SIGNS
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1.Could be very difficult to enforce the number of messages allowed per given period of time.
A computer programs the electronic signs. The store owner could program the messages to
run at a more frequent time than allowed during times when enforcement would be difficult,
such as after 4:45 on the weekdays, and all weekend long.
2.The Las Vegas Effect.
Even with each sign displaying its message once every X seconds/minutes/hours, each sign
along the street would display its information at different intervals. The result would be a
blinking effect caused by multiple signs along a specific corridor.
3.Electronic Signs cause Driver Distraction
The study conducted by SRF concludes that there is no empirical evidence that links electronic
signs to a rise in automobile accidents. It also concludes that there is no empirical evidence
that says that electronic signs are not linked to a rise in automobile accidents.
The study does confirm that electronic signs add to driver distraction, however, and can be
placed in the same category as eating, talking on the phone, talking with passengers, listening
to CDs, text messaging, and having pets in the car, all while driving.
A Seattle study in 2001 found that electronic signs with moving images contribute to driver
distraction for longer intervals than electronic signs with no movement. Major points made in
the report include:
New video display technologies produce images of higher quality than previously
available technologies. These signs have improved color, image quality and
brightness.
New video display technologies use LEDs with higher viewing angles. Drivers can
read the sign from very close distances when they are at a large angle from the face
of the sign.
Signs with a visual story or message that carries for two or more frames are
particularly distracting because drivers tend to focus on the message until it is
completed rather than the driving task at hand.
Research has shown that drivers expend about 80 percent of their attention on
driving related tasks, leaving 20% of their attention for non-essential tasks.
The Seattle consultant suggests a “10 second rule” as the maximum display time
for a video image.
The Zeigarnik Effect
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Describes the psychological need to follow a task to its conclusion. People’s attention is
limited by the ability to only focus on a small number of tasks at a time, and by the
tendency to choose to complete one task before beginning another. In a driving
environment, drivers’ attention might be drawn to the sign rather than the task of driving
because they are waiting to see a change in the message.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
If the City Council chooses to prohibit electronic and dynamic signs, Staff recommends that the
current City Code be amended in order to clarify that these types of signs are indeed prohibited. A
definition of electronic and/or dynamic sign should be added to the Code with specific references
made to them in the text. However, staff also recommends that gas station price signs be exempt,
and electronic signs may be allowed to display gas prices only, with no limitation to the number of
times during the day in which the price may be changed.
If the City Council chooses to allow all or certain types of dynamic signs, Staff recommends that
regulations be imposed on such signage.
Recommended Regulations Include:
Allowing such signs only in the CBD, GB, MXD, and PO Districts.
Allowing High Schools and Religious Institutions the use of such signs, regardless
of the zoning district they are located in.
Prohibiting motion, animation and video electronic signs.
Restricting the time duration of message changing to no less than once every 10
seconds in non-residential zones and no less than once 20 minutes in residential
zones.
Allowing electronic signs only as a component to a monument sign.
Limiting the electronic signs to occupy no more than 70% of a monument sign.
Requiring an automatic dimmer control.
Requiring electronic signs to be no less than 35 feet from other electronic signs.
A full copy of the SFR report conducted for the City of Minnetonka will be available upon request.
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