FINAL ORDINANCE NO. 08-015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ordinance 08-015 City Council; 6-16-09 b. Permit large enough copy/graphic area to effectively convey the intended message but not so large as to unduly distract the reader and insist on lettering large enough to be easily read to encourage simple, uncluttered messages; c. Signs shall be proportioned to the size of, and architecturally compatible with, the structures and other signs on the premises; d. Permanent signs shall only advertise on -premise businesses, services, facilities, etc; e. Allow temporary business signs for grand openings and occasional sales events; allow temporary signs to advise the public of the seasonal sale of agricultural and horticultural products in keeping with the City's rural image; and to allow temporary directional signs permitting the public to more easily locate land conservation developments which enhance the City's rural image, without creating continuous visual clutter or traffic hazards along streets or at intersections; and f. Signs shall be properly maintained. g. Dynamic signs that distract drivers, cyclists and pedestrians shall not be permitted. Studies conducted by public and private agencies have identified that dynamic signs, including multi --vision signs, electronic signs and video displays can be highly distracting to drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists and that distraction is a significant underlying cause of traffic accidents. With respect to electronic signs, including video display signs, the City finds that they are highly visible from long distances and at very wide viewing angles both day and night and are designed to catch the eye of persons in their vicinity and hold it for extended periods of time. If left uncontrolled, electronic signs, including video display signs, constitute a serious traffic safety threat. Studies conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Research Review of Potential Safety Effects of Electronic Billboards on Driver Attention and Distraction, Sept. 11, 2001, and The Role of Driver Inattention in Crashes: New Statistics from 1995; the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, Distractions in Everyday Driving, May 2003 and The Role of Driver Distraction in Traffic Crashes, May 2001; the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Synthesis Report of Electronic Billboards and Highway Safety, June 10, 2003; the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington, Sign Control Provisions, Jan. 2006; the Veridan Group, Video Signs in Seattle, Gerald Wachtel, May 2001, reveal that electronic signs are highly distracting to drivers and that driver distraction continues to be a significant underlying cause of traffic accidents.