OttCity staff recommending Digital Billboards. Planning Committee on Sep 25

The final report on the Digital Billboard pilot is coming to Planning Committee on September 25, 2012. I've written about this before so won't repeat everything here. Suffice to say I'd be happy if Ottawa doesn't go in the direction of LED billboards.

Work usually SNAFU's me from getting to committee meetings - so if you can go - please speak up against them. Written submissions are good too. I'll post mine here as soon as I can.

Two intesting tidbits from the consultation section of the document. When the questionnaire didn't guide respondents to an answer it's 2-to-1 against digital billboard signs. Kitchissippi also tops the list for responses and happens to play host to one of the pilot signs. I'd love to take a peak at the positive/negative splits just for Kitchissippi residents. My hope guess is they would be even more negative.

• An open question that provided the opportunity for additional comments generated more than twice as many negative comments as positive comments, once again primarily related to driver distraction and safety and perceptions of negative appearance.
   
• By far the highest number of respondents, other than the unspecified responses, came from Kitchissippi Ward

The full report is below but the recommendations sum it all up:

• Amend the Permanent Signs on Private Property By-law 2005-439, as amended, to allow digital billboards, subject to the regulations, substantially in the form as contained in Document 1, effective December 1, 2012; and 2.
   
• Close the digital billboard pilot project, and direct the Planning and Growth Management Department to explore other emerging sign technologies with a view to establishing pilot programs if warranted, and return to Council in 2015 with an update on digital billboards and recommendations with respect to other emerging digital technologies in signs.

Digital Billboard Executive Summary and Report - Panneaux d'information numériques Résumé