HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packets - 2011/09/06
CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA
MOUNDS VIEW CITY HALL
TUESDAY, September 6, 2011
7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Flaherty, Stigney, Hull, Mueller, Gunn
PUBLIC COMMENT
Citizens may speak to issues not on tonight’s agenda. Before speaking, please give your
full name and address for the minutes. Also, please limit your comments to three minutes.
Agenda Items Discussed by Consensus
1. Meeting with Joe Harris, Anoka County/Blaine Airport Manager
2. Review Draft Sign Code Revisions
3. Review Draft Subdivision Code Revisions
Next Work Session: Monday, October 3, 2011, at 7pm
Next City Council Meeting: Monday, September 12, 2011, at 7pm
Item No: 2
Meeting Date: Sept 6, 2011
Type of Business: Work Session
City of Mounds View Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: James Ericson, City Administrator
Item Title/Subject: Review Potential City Code Revisions Pertaining to Dynamic
Signs
Introduction:
The City amended its sign code on January 12, 2009 to include operational requirements
and conditions for the use of dynamic display signage with the adoption of Ordinance 816.
The ordinance instituted several regulations regarding such signs as well as creating a
conversion process by which billboard companies could install a dynamic display billboard
face if it removed two-full faces elsewhere in the community.
Discussion:
Since the adoption of the ordinance, it has become evident that that the amount of time
that each unique message must be held on dynamic signs was more than necessary.
Subdivision 9d(5) of Section 1008.10 states the following:
The owner or operator of a dynamic display sign shall control and
display the primary or background images and messages on the sign
so they maintain each display for a minimum of ten (10) seconds.
The intent of the ten second hold requirement was to prevent the sign’s message from
becoming a distraction to motorists. It has become clear that the hold time is much longer
than it needs to be. In this same section, the code provides an allowance for dynamic
signs where the background must be held for ten seconds but secondary graphics were
allowed to blend in and out of the message in a soft transition. This allowance has been
utilized by one area business without incident or complaint. For this reason, staff believes
the ten-second hold requirement could be reduced to allow for faster transition between
sign impressions without adversely affecting public safety. As a means to assess a more
appropriate hold time, messages on the City Hall sign now change every four seconds,
which seems reasonable. In our estimation, the minimum hold time should be no less than
three seconds.
Billboards
In the time that has passed since Ordinance 816 was adopted, many dynamic display
billboards have been erected in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Staff is not aware of
any incidents or complaints arising from such signs, and it would seem that many of the
original concerns expressed regarding the signs have not come to fruition. The Council
discussed this point at the August work session and expressed interest in revising the City
Code to be more permissive, as the present requirements effectively discourage
conversion of a billboard to a dynamic display.
Dynamic Display Sign Regulations
Sept 6, 2011
Page 2
The two factors that have effectively prevented the erection of a dynamic display billboard
is the hold time and the conversion requirement. According to the City Code, the hold time
for each display impression is 15 seconds. The billboard industry standard for hold time
(they call it “dwell” time) is eight seconds. Regarding conversion, the Code requires that for
each one dynamic face converted, two static faces must be removed. Given the
economics associated with outdoor advertising and the length of time the structures must
be maintained to amortize the original cost of construction, both issues--the dwell time and
the two-for-one conversion requirement—have proven to be insurmountable impediments.
Recommendation:
Attached is the current version of the Sign Code (Chapter 1008) with proposed revisions to
reduce the hold time for non-billboard dynamic display signage and to be more
accommodating to the potential for dynamic display billboards. An employee of Clear
Channel Outdoor will be in attendance to answer any questions the Council may have
regarding dynamic display billboards.
Respectfully submitted,
________________________
James Ericson
City Administrator