Temporary ban on LED signs

[PonderInc]

Well, the City Council passed their version of the digital billboard sign ordinance.  ("Thanks for all your hard work Sign Advisory Board and TMAPC...now we'll just change it all around until the billboard companies are satisfied.")

TW Article

Here's my favorite quote from the article:
"Representatives from Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Whistler Outdoor Advertising praised councilors, the city's Sign Advisory Board and the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission for their work on the issue."

Which means: We got everything we wanted.

[cannon_fodder]

- Now LED within 200 ft. of residential.

- 1250ft restriction between signs (same as regular signs)

- Voluntary emergency messaging (probably will comply to avoid "mandatory" messaging)

- min 8 seconds between changes

- Static display only

- brightness limits for day and night usage

- require special permit
- - -

Seems reasonable to me.  As they will operate just like a normal billboard.  No flashing crap, brightness control, and residential restrictions.  

After all the fuss, they did the logical thing and realized this technology is no different than a normal billboard if controlled properly.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

- After all the fuss, they did the logical thing and realized this technology is no different than a normal billboard if controlled properly.

If left unregulated, it's a giant color TV with full-motion video along the road, so I dont necessarily agree that its just like old paper/vinyl billboards.

Spacing was reduced to the width of an expressway if you have two signs opposite one another, you can have up to one second of animated crap between message changes (which have now been quickened to 8 seconds), they can be closer to homes, and the special permit is only to "upgrade" an existing billboard.

If our goal is to be just like OKC were doin swell.[B)]

[cannon_fodder]

quote:if controlled properly.

See what I said there?  I didn't say don't regulate them at all, I said they are the same as regular billboards IF CONTROLLED PROPERLY.

The "one second of animated crap" you are talking is a change over.  Kind of like the flippy billboards that have existed for 30 years take a second to change over.  In my experience, the billboards display for MUCH longer than 8 seconds and there is usually NOT a change over anyway.

I guess I don't understand what your problem is.  Do you not like billboards or do you not like these billboards?   As regulated, you wont be able to tell the difference other than the new digital ones won't fade or advertise gun shows that have been over for a month.  

If you don't want more billboards in general, then it is a different discussion and not really related to the digital billboards.  As both require the same process if a new location is desired.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder
See what I said there?  I didn't say don't regulate them at all, I said they are the same as regular billboards IF CONTROLLED PROPERLY.

Im in agreement with most of your points, and was giving an example of what the lack of control would lead to.  

quote:
The "one second of animated crap" you are talking is a change over.  Kind of like the flippy billboards that have existed for 30 years take a second to change over.

It's not quite the same.
Old-style motor-driven signs required a second to turn the flaps to the next message, but LED's  are instant and dont require a transition time.

The sign industry, of course, knows this, but have built in this loophole where the sign is essentially exempted from static display regulation for 1 second out of every eight.

Video is 30 images per second.  They now have thirty "frames" unregulated, in which they can animate fireworks, stroboscopic flashes and explosions to their heart's content.

The net result is 8 seconds of static display for every 1 second of animated display, and that defeats the purpose of trying to regulate the distracting elements of digital billboards.

There's no reason Tulsa couldnt have signage that is moderately presented, but surely one must suspect that moderation will not happen with the sign industry in charge.  

[cannon_fodder]

Well I agree that changeover animation is not needed.  I was merely pointing out that there are other signs that move.  I'd be surprised if it was the status quo to have animation - it looks cheesy.  If it is and proves distracting, that element can easily be changed.

But, it looks like we are pretty well on the same page.

[patric]

Here's an example of people getting really jumpy over L.E.D.'s:  a warning by Norman police for children not to play with LED toys around cops for fear they might shoot them.
http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=8739768

Now that's extreme.

[sauerkraut]

We are starting to get alot of LED signs in the Columbus, Ohio area, they are indeed brite.[B)]