Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Better luck next time, but no guarantees ... Guest Opinion: It's the right time for river protection ... Guest Opinion: Oregon’s forests were born to burn ... Our View: Better luck next time, but no guarantees ... Guest Opinion: It's the right time for river protection ... Guest Opinion: Oregon’s forests were born to burn ... OUR VIEW Our View: Signs of controversy Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 21, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 21, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News The city of Medford's proposal to throw the dimmer switch on electronic signs and limit the amount of animation may be many things, but it hardly should be a surprise. Some business people, however, seem surprised and have suggested the city is trying to sneak the rules through with a minimum of public input. Something about this issue sounded awfully familiar, so we checked our archives. Sure enough, we wrote about the same issue — and some of the same signs — in August 2013. So the issue has been kicking around for more than a year. The City Council planned to hold a public hearing on the proposed rules Thursday night. Everyone with an interest in the outcome had an opportunity to be heard. The issue is not complex. Large, illuminated signs with moving images and text are becoming more prevalent, and they have the potential to distract drivers, which could be a safety issue. In addition, the esthetics of the signs are a valid concern. No one wants Medford to resemble Las Vegas, with its bright, flashing neon. The owners of the signs assert the city is looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. One says he chose to put up one electronic sign to advertise three businesses in his building rather than three separate signs. That's a reasonable argument, except that the electronic sign is still more intrusive than three conventional signs would be. Chris Cheeley, whose company operates Verizon cellular stores in three states, operates the large electronic sign across from the Rogue Valley Mall. He says large signs he operates in Idaho drew complaints at first, but people gradually got used to them. City Council members, however, say they are pursuing a solution because of persistent complaints from residents. The council should shoot for a middle ground between residents who don't like the signs at all and business owners who don't want any restrictions. Reasonable limits on illumination, size, animation and speed should satisfy critics while allowing the signs to serve their intended purpose.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 21, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501