Planning Commission Public Workshop on Electronic Display Billboards

Planning Commission Public Workshop on Electronic Display Billboards

Monday, February 22^nd – 4:00 pm

City Council Chambers

The Planning Commission is holding a public workshop to take comments on the attached amendments drafted by their subcommittee. This alternate version differs from the  version referred by City Council in the following ways:

1.       Requires that where an electronic display billboard is approved, all existing billboards on the zoning lot must be removed and at least 2 times the total sign area of the proposed digital billboard must be removed from other existing billboard sites.

2.       The sign area of any new electronic display billboard must be at least 2/3 smaller than the sign area of the billboard that it replaces.

3.       Allows electronic display billboards only where plainly visible from the main traveled way of an Interstate Highway, a National Highway System Highway or a federal-aid primary highway, as that system existed on June 1, 1991. In Virginia Beach, such roadways with existing billboards include Interstate 264, Shore Drive, and Northampton Boulevard.

4.       Increases dwell time to 30 seconds.

5.       Prohibits electronic display billboards within Strategic Growth Areas, as identified in the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  

6.       Requires any electronic display billboard visible from a residential or apartment district to go dark between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.

7.        Reduces intensity to 5,000 candelas with a maximum of 500 candelas at night.

8.       Requires all digital billboards to be monopole construction.

Please forward this to anyone who might be interested. I am trying to get it widely circulated before the Monday workshop. Thanks!