2008 City Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council January 7, 2008 Special Meeting Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting and the testimony and materials from this meeting. The testimony at the previous meeting involved driver distraction and that is the information before Council with regard to the specific Ordinance. Hearing no further comments, Mayor Marty closed the public hearing at 7:27 p.m. Council Member Flaherty explained that the Ordinance is something for the City to have on dynamic signs. The information provided to the City was a lengthy study commissioned by the City of Minnetonka approved by the League of Minnesota Cities done by SRF Consulting. He then said that he agrees that this comes down to driver distraction. Council Member Flaherty indicated he would be open to further discussion but this is necessary to protect the City at this time. Council Member Mueller said that she used to drive for her employer and she knows the traffic and times have changed and there are more and more driver distractions. She then said that she had to drive to Monticello to pick up her son recently one evening, and on the way back she was greatly influenced by some very bright digital signs that she had not paid attention to before and she found them very distracting. She further said that she does not feel that this type of electronic display boards would be appropriate for the community in the locations available for them. MOTION/SECOND: Stigney/Flaherty. To Waive the Reading and Adopt Ordinance 801, an Ordinance Amending Chapter 1008 of the City Code Regarding Requirements for Signs and Billboards. Council Member Stigney indicated that the moratorium is going to expire and the recommendation of the Attorney was to approve this Ordinance and allow time for other issues with the dynamic sign industry to be worked out. Mayor Marty said that Clear Channel provided a lot of information to the Council for review. Mayor Marty said that the federal study results are expected to come out in 2009. He then said that if the City were to approve any billboards and the study comes out indicating that they are a distraction then the "cart is before the horse." He further said that he does see the need to put an Ordinance into effect in order to protect the City. Mayor Marty indicated that the few digital billboards that he has seen really caught his attention and were distracting. He then said that he would be amenable to discuss, at a later time, a proposal with Clear Channel. Mayor Marty indicated that he is in support of this Ordinance at this time. Council Member Stigney indicated that the state needs to come up with some regulations for these signs yet.