4A - Ordinance Amendment Regarding Digital Signs

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Dawn Bittner From: Dawn Bittner<dawnbittner @live.corn> ` ent: Thursday, June 19, 2014 1:35 PM --To: Dawn Bittner Subject: FW: Digital Signs Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 11:46:52 -0500 Subject: Digital Signs From:tommy @waterwars.com To: dawnbittner @live.com CC: marohn @communitygrowth.net Dear Dawn, Please pass this on to the Planning Commission. Dear Commission Members, I'm writing in regards to the public hearing on the digital sign ordinance amendment before you this evening. The question of digital signs has been before the commission on numerous occasions over the past 3 years, with an enormous amount of thought and discussion. It has been discussed in great detail as well `11�_quring the writing of our first Comprehensive Plan as well as the most recent revision of the Comp Plan. The Commission has the arduous and very important task of evaluating the needs of the community as a whole. I have sat in your chair and have heard the arguments regarding signs and digital signs specifically. I'm a local business owner, and certainly appreciate the needs of business. The first question is, does our community as a whole, benefit from the addition of digital signs? The second question is, if we don't have them today, why not? The answer is because we've taken enormous input from the community on this issue and the answer is a resounding no. We do not benefit from the addition of digital signs. The reasons why vary from visual impacts, driver distraction, deterioration of the up-north feel,to many others. And this is why it is stated as such in our Comp Plan. You will hear arguments tonight from those advocating for the opposite, and that is their right in the public hearing process. Changing the ordinance, in this instance, is a slippery slope. It will require not only a revision of your Comp Plan but the further discussion of where these signs would be allowed (which zoning districts). Because once you allow them for the applicants,then they must be allowed for EVERYONE else in that particular district. We are not allowed to be selective in who gets them. My personal opinions aside, I always felt we must be respectful of the community as a whole, and it's wishes. That's the purpose and intent of our Comprehensive Plan, to state the wishes of the community and be a guide for our path going forward. The responsibility and challenge to the Planning Commission is to uphold and implement the Comp Plan. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our community. 1