Digital Billboard Exchange Program & Billboard Replacement Pilot Program

1. Digital Billboard Exchange Program & Billboard ReplacementPilot Program Presented by: Dean J. Grandin, AICP March 22, 2010

2. Background • New billboards are currently prohibited in Orlando, with the existing ban dating to 2000 • Currently there are 237 billboard structures located in the City. • This equates to approximately 474 sign faces • Sixteen (16) billboard companies operate in the City • Clear Channel is the largest with 140 structures • CBS Outdoor has 56 structures • Average billboard face size is 400 sq. ft. (10’ x 40’)

3. Digital Billboard Exchange Program • This proposal is being considered in an effort to: • Respond to an industry request. • Improve aesthetic visual landscape along roadways in the City, particularly in residential areas by providing an incentive to reduce the number of billboard structures. • Provide a “by-right” regulatory framework for new digital technology in the City through an administrative process. • Doesn’t change the City’s existing prohibition on any new standard or tri-vision billboards.

4. Billboard Replacement Pilot Program • One Year term. • Allows for an alternative “negotiated” method of reducing the number of billboards in the City without jeopardizing the City’s existing regulatory ban on new billboards. • Compliments the “by-right” digital billboard exchange program. • Assists FDOT in dealing with relocation issues along state roads. • Orlando is one of three counties statewide where such a pilot program has been authorized to operate.

5. Basics of Digital Technology Presented by: Lou Musica Clear Channel Outdoor

7. “Like a computer system, they can be changed at a moment's notice – quite handy when time is of the essence and you're searching for that missing teen or dangerous felon.”

8. What is Digital? A new way to change faces.

9. What is Digital? A new way to change faces. Traditional Vinyl Board

10. What is Digital? A new way to change faces.

11. What is Digital? A new way to change faces. This is one LED or Light Emitting Diode.

12. What is Digital? A new way to change faces.

13. What is Digital? A new way to change faces.

14. Regulating Digital A new way to change faces. Static messages show once every 8 seconds. No Movement. No Motion. No Video.

15. Regulating Digital A new way to change faces. DIMMING CAPABILITY DIMMING CAPABILITY

16. Regulating Digital A new way to change faces. DIMMING CAPABILITY • FOOT CANDLE STANDARD • Lighting levels on the digital billboard will not exceed 0.3 foot candles over ambient levels, as measured using a foot candle meter at a pre-set distance. • Foot candles measure the variance from ambient light.

17. Regulating Digital A new way to change faces. DIMMING CAPABILITY Ft-c or Footcandle Q: What is a foot candle? n. (Abbr. fc or ft-c) A traditional unit of illuminance or illumination, defined as the illuminance received by a surface at a distance of one foot from a source of intensity one international candle.

18. Regulating Digital A new way to change faces. • Example Product: • Extech EasyView EA33 • Est cost $259.00 • Large LCD display with advanced illuminance functions and features • Wide measurement range to 99,990Fc (999,900 Lux) with resolution of 0.001Fc and 0.01Lux • Luminous intensity (candela) calculations • Store and recall up to 50 measurements, includes relative or real time clock stamp • Ripple function excludes the effect of stray light from the primary light source measurement • Timed-Hold, Relative in absolute value or % deviation, and Comparator function with high low alarms • http://www.extech.com/instrument/products/alpha/EA33.html DIMMING CAPABILITY

19. Regulating Digital Measuring Footcandles Stand perpendicular to the sign, at a pre-determined distance. (250’). Point light meter at sign with a) the lights off or b) with a helper holding a 12” x 40” piece of cardboard painted black blocking out the sign lighting. Take the ambient light reading. This is your baseline. DIMMING CAPABILITY Add 0.3 fc to the baseline reading to calculate max brightness level. Take another reading, watching the footcandle meter for 3-5 minutes to see if max brightness is exceeded. If the max brightness level is not exceeded, the sign is in compliance.

20. Regulating Digital NEMA TS-4 Standards. DIMMING CAPABILITY NEMA (The National Electrical Manufacturers Association) has defined the standards for dynamic message signs. LED signs used in traffic applications follow these standards. A comparison revealed the industry standard of 0.3 fc above ambient light for DBB’s, are always below the maximum luminance levels listed in the NEMA TS-4 2005 standard.

21. What is Digital Effect of Horizontal Louver Blades Billboard Billboard Length of Arrows Represent Light Intensity Uplight is Partially Shielded

23. What is Digital? Technology allows quick message changes

24. What is Digital? A new way to change faces. CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOORUSA DIGITAL MARKETS

25. Orlando Area Locations

26. Digital Billboard Exchange Program • This proposal would allow digital billboards through an exchange program. • Exchange ratio = 4:1 • Four sq. ft. of traditional billboard exchanged for one sq. ft. of digital

27. Guidelines Used to Develop Program • The National Cooperative Highway Research program released a report Safety Impacts of the Emerging Digital Display Technology for Outdoor Advertising Signs in April 2009. • Report provides guidelines for establishing standards and restrictions for digital billboards. • The report’s recommendations were considered when developing this proposal.

28. Proposed Standards • Digital Billboards would only be allowed: • In Industrial and Activity Center districts (I-G, I-P,I-C, AC-1, AC-2, AC-3 and AC-N) and MU-2 zoning districts. • Within 150 ft. of the right-of-way along limited access roadways, or a designated state arterial roadway.

29. Proposed Standards (continued) • Digital billboards will not be allowed: • In designated view corridors (GMP Figure UD32) • Within 400 ft. of any residentially zoned property • Within 400 ft. of an historic district boundary, public park, government building, school or religious institution • Within 100 ft. of motel/hotel

31. Proposed Standards (continued) • Spacing Requirements: • 1500 ft. from other billboards facing the same driving direction • 1500 ft. from other billboards on the same side of the roadway

32. Proposed Standards (continued) • Operational Requirements: • Message or image must be static; no flashing, scrolling, animation, videos, etc. • Message must be displayed for minimum 8 seconds • Maximum time between messages is 0.5 second • No special visual effects of any kind • Personalized interactive messages will be prohibited.

33. Proposed Standards (continued) • Illumination Requirements: • Shall not exceed a brightness level of .3 foot candles above ambient light • No digital billboard shall display light as to cause glare or impair the vision of the driver. • Must include a dimmer control and a photocell that automatically adjusts the displays intensity to natural ambient light conditions.

34. Proposed Standards (continued) • Height and Size requirements along state arterial roads: • Max sign height is 30 ft. above the crown of roadway, not to exceed a maximum of 60 ft. above ground. • Maximum size of sign face of 400 sq. ft. • 40 ft 10 ft 30 ft

35. Proposed Standards (continued) • Height and Size requirements along limited access roads: • Max sign height is 40 ft. above the crown of roadway, not to exceed a maximum of 65 ft. above ground. • Maximum size of sign • face of 672 sq. ft. 48 ft 14 ft 40 ft

36. Proposed Process • Digital Billboards will require a Planning Official Determination application submitted to the City Planning Division. • Applicant must identify the structures / sign faces to be removed. • Only sign faces physically existing at the time of application or vested through an agreement with the City can be considered for exchange. • Exchanged signs must be fully removed prior to the City issuance of a certificate of completion for the digital billboard.

37. How does Orlando compare?

38. Summary • Digital Billboard Exchange Program: • Exchange ratio based on square footage will eliminate approximately 4 standard sign faces for each new digital face. • Located in non-residential areas that meet all criteria along state and limited access roadways. • Billboards may not be converted to digital except in strict compliance with this ordinance.

39. Billboard Replacement Pilot Program • Proposed Details: • Separate from the Digital Billboard Exchange Program. • Further improve the aesthetic visual landscape of the City. • Provides for the removal of billboard signs in residential, historic and other designated areas, in exchange for the placement of billboard signs on interstate highways. • Authorizes City Council to enter into separate agreements with billboard sign owners establishing the terms for removal and replacement of billboard signs under each agreement. • Pilot for one year, may be extended by City Council.

40. Conclusion • Both Programs: • Result in a net reduction of billboards in the City of Orlando. • Focuses on relocating billboards into areas where they are considered to be most appropriate (limited access highways and state roads) resulting in the least amount of visual blight for neighborhoods, historic districts, downtown, community and civic areas.

41. Questions? • Dean Grandin, AICPCity Planning DivisionEconomic Development Department