Digital Billboard Ordinance - Draft Revision

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by OurTulsa

I'll have to ask my INCOG mole what that advisory board is up to.  This is the first I've heard of proposed amendment.  But I'm thinking Hello Casinos...down Brookside!!!  I sometimes enjoy seeing those small signs on the sides of bus shelters or subway entrances while I'm walking particularly if they're showing an animated weather radar map...whoops wrong city...I don't think I would care too much for some sort of animated sign grabbing my attention while I'm moving down a 5 lane arterial street at 45mphs surrounded by much larger steel boxes on wheels with other zombies at the controls.

Im curious if you found anything out.  
I suspect the newer industry-friendly councilors  may wish to tweak the ordinances to closer match the capabilities of the sign technology before their terms expire (and was amazed at how much of the DAKtronics spec sheet was already adopted).

[patric]

I have an alibi -- I think...
But seriously, this is a pretty risky solution to this sort of nuisance, IMHO.  Getting the city council to reduce the brightness back down to the original levels would be more effective.

Billboard Cameras Hope To Catch Vandals

Those bright new LED billboards are being hit one after another. Five incidents which involve three billboards -- two of which have been hit twice by a large caliber bullet.

There is concern the bullets could hit someone. It could be someone in a nearby hotel, an office complex or a person driving by. Cameras have been installed and new billboards have a clear message in the hope the vandalism will end.

"That shooter is on camera. Right now the films are being analyzed, they're looking to see if they can get some face recognition or some tag numbers," says Joyce.

Police confirm several reports have been filed and the matter is being investigated. If caught, the vandals could be charged with a felony.
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0309/606821.html

[carltonplace]

I think we should have an ordinance to prevent billboards from being erected inside the IDL. As we start to develop downtown this might become a serious consideration. I'd rather see the iconic downtown than a sea of video/stationary adverts.

I think that I shall never see
a billboard lovely as a tree.
Perhaps, unless the billboards fall,
I'll never see a tree at all.
Ogden Nash

[patric]

I think we should have an ordinance to prevent billboards from being erected inside the IDL. As we start to develop downtown this might become a serious consideration. I'd rather see the iconic downtown than a sea of video/stationary adverts.

I didnt see any billboards represented on the artist's rendition of the ballpark,
I wonder if that will change.

[Red Arrow]

One of the good ideas Lady Bird Johnson had - get rid of billboards.

[patric]

TMAPC just sent out a revised agenda for tomorrows meeting (April 1) that includes a proposal to change the rules for business signs and on-premise billboards (Changable copy signs), to allow signs to have animation (like a video screen) between messages, and that those messages only need be static for one second.

http://www.tmapc.org/Agenda/Digital%20Sign%20Amendments.pdf

This would apply to LED billboards that are on the business's premises (like the two giant ones on HY 169 by Mathis Brothers) as well as the Sonic LED signs, etc.

The meeting is at 1:30pm at the new city hall, if anyone would like to take off work to make your feelings known. 

[custosnox]

TMAPC just sent out a revised agenda for tomorrows meeting (April 1) that includes a proposal to change the rules for business signs and on-premise billboards (Changable copy signs), to allow signs to have animation (like a video screen) between messages, and that those messages only need be static for one second.

http://www.tmapc.org/Agenda/Digital%20Sign%20Amendments.pdf

This would apply to LED billboards that are on the business's premises (like the two giant ones on HY 169 by Mathis Brothers) as well as the Sonic LED signs, etc.

The meeting is at 1:30pm at the new city hall, if anyone would like to take off work to make your feelings known. 

Crying shame I haven't been on to have seen this was coming.   I'm honestly getting really sick of the giant screens that they claim to be billboards.

Billboard Cameras Hope To Catch Vandals

Those bright new LED billboards are being hit one after another. Five incidents which involve three billboards -- two of which have been hit twice by a large caliber bullet.

that right there proves my innoccense, I know that a few bullets wouldn't do the trick.  Now if they all go up at once in a timed explosion, I will be finding an alibi.

[PonderInc]

What is the required "dwell time" for digital billboards in Tulsa?

I remember that the TMAPC recommended 12 seconds.  The City Council, in their infinite wisdom and after minutes of consideration, eviscerated that number... but I can't remember what they settled  on.

I thought it was 8 seconds.

I'm seeing digital billboards that appear to be 6 seconds. 

And some signs don't appear to dim on overcast days.

Is anyone monitoring these new signs?

[patric]

What is the required "dwell time" for digital billboards in Tulsa?

I remember that the TMAPC recommended 12 seconds.  The City Council, in their infinite wisdom and after minutes of consideration, eviscerated that number... but I can't remember what they settled  on.

I thought it was 8 seconds.

I'm seeing digital billboards that appear to be 6 seconds. 

And some signs don't appear to dim on overcast days.

Is anyone monitoring these new signs?

Not the city, nor the sign inspectors that the city was supposed to pay with the funding last winter.

The ordinance calls for 8 seconds between messages (dwell time), with one unnecessary "transition" second inbetween where they can do whatever they please for no reason whatsoever.

As for dimming on overcast days, the language
"notwithstanding paragraph 1221.C.2.e, a mechanism able to
automatically adjust the display's illuminative brightness
according to ambient light conditions by means of a light
detector/photo cell by which the sign's brightness shall be
dimmed."
...should have covered that, so if the billboard owner is just using the same timers they have been using on regular billboards they are in violation.

Of course, a sign inspector would normally be the one to determine if they were using a photocell or just a timer.

I have noticed the same thing on overcast days, so it appears rather widespread.
If enough people call the MAC then they will eventually get the message.

[PonderInc]

Does anyone at the City have a candela meter...or whatever you would use to measure NITs radiating from a digital billboard?  It would be pretty funny if we have these specific light output maximums in the ordinance, but no one to measure them.

Oh, wait, that wouldn't be funny.  It would be sad.

[Townsend]

Does anyone at the City have a candela meter...or whatever you would use to measure NITs radiating from a digital billboard?  It would be pretty funny if we have these specific light output maximums in the ordinance, but no one to measure them.

Oh, wait, that wouldn't be funny.  It would be sad.

I can't help but think you might need to prepare to be saddened.