A land use bylaw amendment to permit the use of electronic video messaging signs on private property will come back to council for review in 2015.
Council unanimously passed a motion asking for an amendment to come back for council’s future consideration that would permit pillar and third-party electronic signs on private property as well as suggesting rates and fees for them.
The motion, brought forward by Coun. Sheena Hughes, drew a couple of interested parties to Monday night’s meeting to address council.
Lynda Moffat, president and CEO of the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce, reminded council of the work the chamber had done previously in surveying interested parties about signage around the city.
The chamber feels the issue of electronic signs should be dealt with as part of a whole package of signage policies.
“The signage issue is complex, there’s not one small part of it that exists on its own,” she said.
Ken Rochat of Big Sky Media, an advertising company that specializes in digital billboards, noted Edmonton and Calgary have recently rewritten their bylaws regarding digital signage and that companies in the marketplace are happy to work within the bylaws.
“Yes, it is a complex issue but at the same time I think in a lot of ways it can be simplified,” he said.
He suggested restricting the use to digital billboard content only without video, which he said is similar to what other municipalities are doing.
“We want billboard signs with changeable copy,” Rochat said.
Hughes said she made the motion because while digital signs are allowed on city property, there are no rules around them being on private property. She noted digital signs are starting to appear anyway.
She said the amendment that will be developed will look at two types of electronic signs – pillar signs, which would advertise the companies on that property, and third-party signs, which would allow businesses from other parts of the city to advertise on the sign.
“By doing this we’re allowing businesses to help businesses,” she said.
Mayor Nolan Crouse said he’d support the motion, but said it might spawn more improvements to the land use bylaw when the amendment comes forward.
“By the time this is done it may have babies,” he said. “For me personally I would have preferred the holistic view.”
