TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Jonathan R. Lewis, ICMA-CM, City Manager
TITLE: Petition No. TXT-14-127, second reading of Ordinance No. 2014-42, Amending Chapter 29, Sign Regulations, Section 29-10I. and adding provisions for changeable copy/electronic signs on billboards within the incorporated City limits.
Recommended Action
Approve Ordinance No. 2014-42 for adoption.
Background Information
The petition was advertised in a newspaper of general circulation within the City of North Port on October 14, 2014, March 10, 2015 and March 31, 2015 pursuant to the provisions of Section 166.041(3)(a), Florida Statutes and Section 9.01(b) of the Charter of the City of North Port, and Chapter 1, Article II, Section 1-12 of the City's Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) as amended.
The City Commission held a workshop on March 4, 2014 and September 25, 2014 to discuss changeable copy signs in North Port. Specifically, the Commission discussed the maximum allowable area of changeable copy/electronic signs on billboards and freestanding signs and the timing intervals for the electronic sign copy to change its message. At the September 25, 2014 workshop, staff presented a Power Point presentation and a draft ordinance of proposed changes to Chapter 29 Sign Regulations, Section 29-10I. At the direction of Commission, staff has incorporated these changes into the attached Ordinance No. 2014-42. These changes are as follows:
? Allow a maximum of 100% changeable copy for billboards on I-75
? Increase maximum allowance of changeable copy to 60% for freestanding signs
? Increasing the display time for changeable copy on freestanding signs from six (6) seconds to seven and one-half (7 1/2) minutes
? To allow for subtle transitions for sign face
? Provisions to control brightness of signs
? Conditions for malfunctioning changeable copy/electronic signs
At its regularly scheduled meeting of November 6, 2014, The Planni...
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