San Jose Allows More Electronic Signs

On February 2, the San Jose, CA, city council loosened restrictions on electronic signs downtown and in limited areas elsewhere. The city had been known as sign-unfriendly.
The city council gave preliminary approval to a proposal that would allow more downtown businesses to have programmable electronic signs and increase the allowable size of those signs.
Existing rules limit programmable electronic signs to 35 sq. ft. for businesses with at least 150 ft. of ground-floor frontage. The new proposal would allow signs with programmable electronic components up to 50 sq. ft. for businesses with at least 100 ft. of frontage.
The council also approved programmable signs for major commercial areas along Stevens Creek to keep the city’s major auto dealers happy. The proposal would allow major businesses in that area to include programmable electronic components in up to 60% of their allowed sign area.
The council also will allow large theaters, stadiums and religious establishments citywide to advertise with electronic signs.
Mercurynews.com reported that city planners expect to return to the council with final policies by the end of June. More complex issues, such as whether to carve out an exemption from the city’s billboard ban for a major stadium, would take additional research.
Signage laws are being updated to allow businesses to compete more effectively with those in neighboring cities. Concurrently, residents wish to protect neighborhood ambiance.
The council last month voted to maintain the ban on new billboards, but to consider revising regulations for relocating existing ones. Council members also voted then to allow signs along freeways for major shopping centers.
The council at a later meeting will consider additional revisions for such displays as supergraphics on building faces.