Temporary ban on LED signs

[Vision 2025]

quote:Originally posted by safetyguy

What about the annoying new signs at Sonic??

The one in Jenks lights up the town at night. It's very annoying.

Agreed on that one, I complained and have noticed that it is now dimmed from the previous GLARE level and even off when closed early mornings.

[mrhaskellok]

Two thumbs up for the Tulsa Council for making this move before it got any worse!

I love communities (see several of them out east)where billboards and huge advertisements are not allowed.  I see nothing wrong with this approach.  Some communities desire a more "peaceful" drive with all the [fill in the blank] adds that we are "forced" to see as we drive to work and home.  

Again though, because we live in a state that does not allow municipalities to collect property taxes, cities are in essence forced to think that Economic Development and promoting business is the only choice they have.  Cities that directly benefit from property assessments like huge billboards and annoying lights less because it decreases property values in a regional market.  

Again, great work on those of you who have helped to make this ban possible.  Now we just need to make it permanent.  (Unless you like the Vegas look.  []

Sid

[sauerkraut]

Gwen Freeman on KFAQ talked but this a few months ago on her morn. radio show. I think LED signs are a good thing. We have them all over the mid-west. Jeers to "T" Towne for banning them.[xx(]

[mrhaskellok]

quote: Gwen Freeman on KFAQ talked but this a few months ago on her morn. radio show. I think LED signs are a good thing. We have them all over the mid-west. Jeers to "T" Towne for banning them.

What was Gwen's thoughts on the subject?  I missed that show.  

[Chicken Little]

LED TVs aren't allowed on your dashboard for a simple reason, they are dangerous and distracting.  Same thing with LED signs on the side of the road.  The technology is such now that ANYTHING could pop up at ANY time.  Time for them to go.

[inteller]

did anyone go to the ordinance change at TMAPC yesterday?  There wre a boatload of people there to speak on it, and it unfortunately looked like a bunch of business types.  I hope the TMAPC wasn't swayed.

One requirement I liked in the changes was that the sign owners would be required to display amber alerts and other emergency information.  I think that is fair, although there is an interesting business opportunity to integrate a centralized emergency alert system into all of these privately owned signs.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

did anyone go to the ordinance change at TMAPC yesterday?  There wre a boatload of people there to speak on it, and it unfortunately looked like a bunch of business types.  I hope the TMAPC wasn't swayed.

In the past, the big sign companies get their biggest users (ORU, car dealerships, etc) to show up in force and claim their free speech is being violated by sign regulations.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by patric

quote:Originally posted by inteller

did anyone go to the ordinance change at TMAPC yesterday?  There wre a boatload of people there to speak on it, and it unfortunately looked like a bunch of business types.  I hope the TMAPC wasn't swayed.

In the past, the big sign companies get their biggest users (ORU, car dealerships, etc) to show up in force and claim their free speech is being violated by sign regulations.

AHH!  That would explain the guys in the white shirts that looked like they needed a job.  i guess the car salesmen showed up in force.

funny, I am not aware of any reputable dealers that use LED signage.

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by patric

quote:Originally posted by inteller

did anyone go to the ordinance change at TMAPC yesterday?  There wre a boatload of people there to speak on it, and it unfortunately looked like a bunch of business types.  I hope the TMAPC wasn't swayed.

In the past, the big sign companies get their biggest users (ORU, car dealerships, etc) to show up in force and claim their free speech is being violated by sign regulations.

AHH!  That would explain the guys in the white shirts that looked like they needed a job.  i guess the car salesmen showed up in force.

funny, I am not aware of any reputable dealers that use LED signage.

Doesn't Glover on Skelly have a large LED sign?

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Townsend

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by patric

quote:Originally posted by inteller

did anyone go to the ordinance change at TMAPC yesterday?  There wre a boatload of people there to speak on it, and it unfortunately looked like a bunch of business types.  I hope the TMAPC wasn't swayed.

In the past, the big sign companies get their biggest users (ORU, car dealerships, etc) to show up in force and claim their free speech is being violated by sign regulations.

AHH!  That would explain the guys in the white shirts that looked like they needed a job.  i guess the car salesmen showed up in force.

funny, I am not aware of any reputable dealers that use LED signage.

Doesn't Glover on Skelly have a large LED sign?

I said "reputable" dealers.

[PonderInc]

LED signs are back on the TMAPC agenda for this week's meeting: Wed, March 26, 2008, 1:30 PM, Francis Campbell City Council Room, Tulsa Civic Center

Here's what it says in the agenda:
11. Consider an Ordinance Amending Chapter 42 of the Zoning Code of the City of Tulsa

Consider proposed amendments of the Zoning Code, City of Tulsa, Oklahoma by adding a new Section for "Off-Premise Digital Signs", a new definition for "digital signs" and providing for penalties and publication.  (Draft Ordinance to be distributed at the meeting.)

I'm one of those people who find them distracting and tacky.  Whatever happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas.  I don't know what the "draft ordinance" will include, but I'm going to try to make it to the meeting.  I encourage anyone else who wants to reign in unnecessary signage from our streets to attend and speak up.

Learn more about the impact of digital billboards from the folks at Scenic America.

One of the interesting things I've learned is that the "studies" that suggest that digital billboards have no negative impact on driver safety were funded by...yep...the billboard industry.  Real world experience has shown me that drivers tend to slam on their brakes when a bright digital billboard suddenly leaps to life.  And I'm sure that people who are "watching" the billboard TV are not paying attention to pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists on the road.

If you care about this issue, you'll want to learn more about Scenic America, an organization that works to:
Reduce billboard blight in America
Promote good community planning and design guidelines
Keep America's highways and byways scenic
Promote scenic easements for open space and scenic resource conservation
Ensure mitigation of the visual impact of telecommunication towers
Promote context sensitive highway solutions
Promote tree conservation
Promote undergrounding of overhead utiltiy wires

[inteller]

i'm of the more economical side of this argument.  If you have to do something that stops just short of leaping on my car hood and yelling at me about your product, then you probably don't need to be in business.

I find that for the most part, people resorting to LED signs sell cheap **** that isn't worth what they charge for it.

LED sign users:

Sunshine Furniture
Al's Bistro
Cosi and their co tenants at 71st/yale
Carpetworld
and I've been told Glover Chevy.

yes, those are all quality establishments selling quality goods....[]

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

i'm of the more economical side of this argument.  If you have to do something that stops just short of leaping on my car hood and yelling at me about your product, then you probably don't need to be in business.

I find that for the most part, people resorting to LED signs sell cheap **** that isn't worth what they charge for it.

LED sign users:

Sunshine Furniture
Al's Bistro
Cosi and their co tenants at 71st/yale
Carpetworld
and I've been told Glover Chevy.

yes, those are all quality establishments selling quality goods....[]

+Sonic

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by inteller

i'm of the more economical side of this argument.  If you have to do something that stops just short of leaping on my car hood and yelling at me about your product, then you probably don't need to be in business.

I find that for the most part, people resorting to LED signs sell cheap **** that isn't worth what they charge for it.

LED sign users:

Sunshine Furniture
Al's Bistro
Cosi and their co tenants at 71st/yale
Carpetworld
and I've been told Glover Chevy.

yes, those are all quality establishments selling quality goods....[]

+Sonic

pft...duh...yeah they are the worst offender due to the number of them all over town.

[patric]

Some are a little harder to figure out.
You would wonder why the city-county library system needs to stop traffic with

GUEST
SPEAKER
GUEST
SPEAKER
GUEST
SPEAKER
GUEST
SPEAKER

...when a more subtle marquis crawl would do.
Same for schools.  What product are they selling that I need to rear-end the car stopped at the crosswalk in front of me to read?

The sign industry points to a lack of documentation of sign-related traffic accidents -- but that's all it is; a lack of documentation.  If the police dont think about it you wont find it in the report.  
Does anyone actually believe glare or stroboscopic light doesnt cause accidents in Tulsa?