City to review large digital billboard request

Special permission would need to be granted by city council, in part because that corridor is not currently zoned to allow for billboards.

“Billboard signs are only located in designated areas or heavy and light industrial areas,” Director of Planning and Development Craig Guidinger told paNOW.

He added third party advertising – advertising for any business other your own on a site – is also not currently allowed, and digital signs require special consideration.

Concept renderings and engineering drawings of the proposed sign have been submitted to the city.

A letter from Eastview Plaza that accompanied the request stated the sign would be of benefit to consumers, tenants and neighboring businesses and would offer “businesses and community organizations the opportunity to expose their products, services or events in a cost-efficient manner.”

If their request were approved, the plaza said it would donate one advertisement per side, within a two-minute rotation to the city.

There was some brief discussion among council at its regular executive committee meeting Monday with some concerns raised about the location and size of the sign. For example, some wanted to know if the sign would be visually unsightly or cause light pollution issues, especially for residents on neighbouring streets.

“Size has a bearing on things, first of all for public safety and we’d want to make sure it’s anchored safely and has the proper foundation system,” Guidinger said. “A sign of that size, especially if it’s digital, is very eye-catching so you have to make sure drivers’ attention is not taken from the road.”

He added the brightness of the sign needed to be considered to see “if it would be shining into bedroom or livingroom windows.”

A different aspect shows a rendering of how the digital sign may appear on 15th Street E. (City P.A. council agenda/Indiglow.ca)

Asked if approving this sign would have any bearing on the proposed city-owned digital billboard being paid for from the recent Husky Energy oil spoil money, Guidinger said that was a different project because the city’s sign would be a public notification venture as opposed to commercial advertising.

However, he stressed the city’s sign would also need to meet regulations and bylaws.

As for the Eastview Plaza request, he said staff would do their research and review and prepare a report with any recommendations for city council.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

by Glenn Hicks

City to review large digital billboard request

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