DIGITAL BILLBOARDS and STATIC BILLBOARD REDUCTION Development Review Commission June 6, 2012

DIGITAL BILLBOARDS and

STATIC BILLBOARD REDUCTION

Development Review Commission

June 6, 2012

PLANNING and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

REQUEST

A private request by Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. to amend the Land Development Regulations, City Code Chapter 16, regarding off-premise signage (billboards), and a proposed agreement between Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. and the city of St. Petersburg to permanently remove 80 static billboard faces and replace six (6) remaining static billboard faces with digital billboard faces.


Order of Presentation

I. LDR Code Amendments

II. Removal and Replacement Agreements

a. Clear Channel proposal

III. Comprehensive Plan Guidance

IV. Public Input

V. Recommendation

VI. Adoption Schedule


I. Proposed LDR Code Amendments

INTRODUCTION

1. Modification to the existing off-premise sign regulations:

• Define digital billboard; • Limit locations of new static billboards to Interstate

and Interstate feeders;

• Prohibits poorly maintained signs.



INTRODUCTION (cont.)

2. Creation of new subsection for digital off-premise signs:

• Digital billboards only allowed in conjunction with a Florida Statute 70.20 replacement and relocation agreement;

• Minimum ratio of removal to existing static billboards for each digital billboard face (10:1);

• Specific location and operational standards.



LOCATION STANDARDS

• Within 100’ of right-of-way of:

• Interstate and Interstate feeders.

• At least 500’ from historic properties unless separated by interstate;

• At least 500’ from residentially zoned properties;

• Spaced so that a driver cannot read more than one face at a time (minimum 2,500’ separation) for digital signs facing same direction.



HEIGHT AND SIZE STANDARDS

• Height of no more than existing static billboard or 25’ above the crown of the road, whichever is greater;

• Sign faces no greater than 14’1-3/4” in height and 48’2-1/4” in width, which includes border.



MESSAGE STANDARDS

• 10 second dwell time;

• No sequencing messages;

• Static image during the 10 second dwell;

• Static brightness during the dwell;

• Instantaneous message change.



BRIGHTNESS STANDARDS

• Maximum brightness shall be 0.3 foot candles above ambient light conditions measured:

• 250’ perpendicular from face of sign totaling > 378 SF.

• Shall not cause glare or otherwise impair vision of driver;

• Any constructed digital billboards would be required to comply with any new, more stringent, state and federal regulations related to safety and operational standards.



ENFORCEMENT

• Increased fines for violations of the Ordinance (requires supermajority vote approval). Fine shall not be less than:

• $1,000.00 per day for the first violation;

• $2,500.00 per day for the second violation; and

• $5,000.00 per day for the third and subsequent violations.



SUNSET PROVISION

Twenty (20) years:

• On the 20th anniversary of the effective date, any digital face constructed must be replaced with a static billboard face or be demolished.



INVALIDATION OF ORDINANCE

In the event that the ordinance is found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, any static billboard relocated back to a previous location must be on a Federal Aid Primary roadway and the sign owner’s right to rebuild is limited to the right to replace fifty (50) percent of the inventory removed if the order is within five (5) years of the effective date and twenty-five (25) percent if the order is between five (5) to ten (10) years of the effective date. After ten (10) years, there is no right to replace removed static billboards in the event of such an order.


II. Removal and Replacement Agreement

FLORIDA STATUTES CHAPTER 70.20

• Sanctions billboard replacement and relocation agreements

• Encourages local governments and sign owners to enter into agreements

• “Whatever terms are agreeable” to the sign owner and the local government



PROPOSED AGREEMENT

• List and total number of billboards to be removed:

• Static billboard faces and structures shall be removed prior to a permit being issued for the first digital billboard face;

Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. shall remove 80 static billboard faces within 6 months and install six (6) digital billboard faces.

Manhattan Casino billboard removed within 60 days of first availability of demo permit.

• Minimum replacement ratio;

• All static faces and the structure shall be removed to qualify.



PROPOSED AGREEMENT (cont.)

• List and total number of remaining static billboards;

• List and total number of digital billboard locations;

• Digital faces replace existing static faces;

• Prohibits reconstructing or replacing any static off-premise signs removed under agreement unless the ordinance is declared invalid;

• Documentation of compliance with state law;

• Payment of fees associated with code compliance costs;




• Provide for public service announcements (inc. city sponsored and co-sponsored events);

• Provide for advertising for non-profits and civic associations;

• Within the proposed Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. agreement, the city is entitled to one (1) advertising slot per rotation on each digital billboard during 12 separate 10-day periods per year.

• Agreement subject to City Council approval;




• The rent provided to the City for the two (2) locations proposed for digital billboards will be a total of $50,000 or 12.5 percent of the gross revenue per year, whichever is greater, over a 20 year term. Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. will provide an annual accounting to the City as evidence of the gross revenue.


Clear Channel Billboard Inventory

BEFORE AFTER

Structures FacesStructure

sFaces

Clear Channel

63 126 22 46

Total 63 12622

(- 41)46

(- 80)


III. Comprehensive Plan Guidance

• Billboards not specifically addressed

• Vision Element

• Speaks against sign proliferation

• Speaks in favor of commitment to appropriate codes and standards of design for architecture, signage, landscape and site planning to ensure quality and beauty.


IV. Public Input

CITY STAFF

• 2009, December:

• Development Review Commission (DRC) – Public Hearing

• Planning and Visioning Commission (PVC) – Public Hearing

• City Council - item referred to workshop

• 2010, July:

• St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee

• Ongoing:

• Staff continuously shared draft documents and information with the Council of Neighborhood Associations (C.O.N.A.)

• Three (3) City Council workshops.


IV. Public Input

CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR

• Tom O’Neil, Vice President of Real Estate and Public Affairs for Clear Channel Outdoor, attended:

• Neighborhood associations meetings for:

• Historic Old Northeast

• Historic Kenwood

• Wildwood

• Two (2) board meetings of the Council of Neighborhood Associations (C.O.N.A.)

• Two (2) meetings of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee


V. Recommendation

That the Development Review Commission (DRC), acting as the Land Development Regulation Commission (LDRC), make a finding of consistency with the City of St. Petersburg’s Comprehensive Plan.


VI. Adoption Schedule

June 6, 2012 (2:00 PM)

Development Review Commission (DRC) - Completed

June 21, 2012 (6:00 PM)

City Council for 1st Reading and 1st Public Hearing

July 26, 2012 (6:00 PM)

City Council for 2nd Reading and Final Public Hearing


Contact Information

Dave Goodwin, Director

Planning and Economic Development Department

City of St. Petersburg

P.O. Box 2842

St. Petersburg, Florida

Documents

DIGITAL BILLBOARDS and STATIC BILLBOARD REDUCTION Development Review Commission June 6, 2012