Laserfiche WebLink
There are only a few existing examples of digital signs in Eugene—the Lane County Fairgrounds, the Hult Center, Matthew Knight Arena, and The Shedd. The Eugene land use code generally does not allow digital signs. The examples listed were allowed because two are public signs that are exempt from sign standards and two, Matthew Knight Arena and The Shedd’s electronic message centers, received a variance to the sign code standards. Proponents of digital signage assert several benefits from the technology, including reduced waste compared with traditional copy materials, lower energy consumption, the ability to serve the advertising needs of more businesses, and usage by law enforcement agencies to push public warnings such as Amber alerts. Concerns over the use of digital signage are primarily focused on driver distraction and visual pollution. Several factors that contribute to these concerns include: flashing effects, moving images, or videos; frequency of image changes; size and location; and brightness/glare. Digital sign technology has been operating in Portland, Salem, and Springfield for several years. At the work session, staff will provide some examples of how these cities and others regulate such signage. Allowing digital signs in Eugene would require an amendment to Eugene’s land use code. Such changes would require the City Council to initiate the process. The formal adoption process for an amendment to the land use code includes notice to the state and interested parties, a public hearing before the Planning Commission who provides a recommendation to City Council, a public hearing before the City Council, and action by the City Council. In some cases, notice must also be sent to affected property owners. Prior to the formal adoption process, the Building Permit Services Division would engage stakeholders in a public process to identify key issues and possible solutions, and to review draft code language. In addition to the work session request regarding digital signs, there have been two other questions asked by councilors related to sign standards. One question was about signs that advertise off-premise businesses and whether the City can require that signs be for on-premise, or “proximate” businesses, or limited to businesses located within the city. The City cannot require that signs only advertise proximate businesses or businesses located in the city. Such a requirement would violate the Oregon Constitution because it would prohibit certain speech based on the content of that speech. See Outdoor Media Dimensions, Inc. v. Department of <br />Transportation, 340 Or 275 (2006). The second question is related to mobile advertising signs (e.g., a sign on the flat bed of a truck that is driven around town). The current sign code already prohibits any sign placed on a motor vehicle with the primary purpose of providing a sign not otherwise allowed by the sign standards. See land use code section 9.6615(2) on page 1 of Attachment B. <br />PREVIOUS COUNCIL DIRECTION This is the first work session on this topic. <br /> <br />Page 26