Electronic Sign Ordinance Passed in Tyler, Texas

City Council members approved an electronic sign ordinance to govern the use of scrolling and animated signs this morning.“Recent advances in technology have changed the display capabilities and uses of electronic message signs,” said Planning Director Barbara Holly. “These signs are now capable of being animated.”Prior to the ordinance change, individual signs were allowed to be a maximum of 64 square feet in size and not allowed to be animated in any way.When the trend of animated signs began to sweep through Tyler businesses, several meetings were held between affected business owners and the Planning and Zoning Commission.By bringing together the wishes of business owners, public opinion and the input of the Tyler Historical Board, the ordinance changes are based on the electronic signs already in place, and aim to limit the addition of future signs in specific areas.No electronic message signs currently in place will be in violation of the ordinance. However, the ordinance now requires screens to hold a single message for one second per line of copy displayed, with a three-second minimum.The ordinance will also allow for the total amount of square feet a business can use for signage, to be divided between electronic and traditional signs.City officials said an example would be that most businesses are allowed 164 square feet of signs. The ordinance will therefore allow business owners display a 100 square-foot electronic sign and a 64 square-foot traditional sign, for a total 164 square feet.Finally, the ordinance change now prohibits any new electronic message signs to be built within or face residential or historic districts.

Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph, By ADRIENNE GRAHAM