Recently, the city’s planning department gave a briefing on LED billboards at a City Council study session, but the five aldermen in attendance expressed a concern over creating unneeded regulation.
The LED billboards electronically change messages as often as every six to eight seconds. Although the signs change messages, they don’t use animation or flashing lights, Matt Flynn, a senior planner. He said one billboard company has contacted him about putting up the signs in Davenport.
Lamar Advertising has LED billboards in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has been in contact with Davenport’s planning department. The electronic billboards have grown in popularity over the past three years, Harry Allers, Lamar’s general manager in the Quad-Cities, said. They are popular because messages can be changed quickly and also provide immediate public service announcements.
The LED billboards were used this summer in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to provide information on road closures and detour routes because of the flooded Iowa River, Allers said. “They are wildly successful not just from a business standpoint but have also created a lot of excitement in the community,” he said. “The benefit for the advertiser is they can change their ad, and we can react to that in about an hour turnaround.”
Flynn said the city’s sign ordinance is outdated and doesn’t include electronic message signs and the fancy electronic billboards. One concern is whether the changing messages may distract drivers. He said staff recommends allowing message changes every eight seconds and that animation shouldn’t be allowed.
Flynn pointed out that the city would possibly negotiate with a company that wants to install LED billboards and have them remove older, static billboards in exchange.Scrolling electronic message signs were only touched on during the meeting. Flynn said any ordinance changes would have to consider grandfathering in already-existing signs. He mentioned specifically the sign atop the Northwest Bank tower at Kimberly Road and Welcome Way that has scrolled the time and temperature and other messages since 1982.
