Council begins process to regulate LED billboards; staff to draft text amendment

Councilmember Jennifer told her colleagues she was concerned about bright LED billboards that have recently appeared in town and asked the council to consider regulating their number, spacing and locations.

"I just feel like they're popping up," Jennifer said, pointing to billboards behind Taco Bell and near the post office. She proposed spacing rules used by other cities (1,000–3,000 feet) and suggested prohibiting LED billboards in the downtown historic area to preserve aesthetics. Planning staff outlined options including a complete prohibition on third-party off-premises billboards, a spacing requirement, licensing/fees, or designating limited commercial corridors.

Staff recommended the council consider the big-picture policy (whether to allow any more within city limits and where they would be permitted) and instructed that a text amendment would be required: drafting the regulation, forwarding it to the planning commission, and returning to council. Council agreed to revisit the issue at its March 9 meeting and asked staff to prepare proposed language for discussion.