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 Home News Latest Stories Emergency Services District board says it won't levy maximum tax rate after all Since You Asked: No traffic signal slated at Main and Highland A test of mettle: GED tests are more rigorous Ashland gets new city parks director Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services All evacuation advisories lifted for Rogue River Drive fire Emergency Services Fire levels historic Phoenix house Medford rainfall hits record, halts fire Politics and Elections Commissioner Skundrick plans final four town hall meetings Medford eyes electronic sign visual pollution Medford council veterans plan exit Medical marijuana patients run for council seat Former colleagues laud Atiyeh's 'practical' leadership Education A test of mettle: GED tests are more rigorous Middle schoolers get a taste of college living Abraham Lincoln Elementary parents raise money for new playground State treasurer stumps for educational endowment measure Free meals program expands in Grants Pass Environment Stressed but off life support Rogue watershed councils plan to merge West Nile Virus found in mosquitoes collected near Central Point State news Nation - World Obituaries Clarence "C.A" A. Zeitler Elvia Veatrice Donald Eugene Jackson Kenneth Merrill Chambers Gloria W. Bounds Weather Photo Galleries Videos Web Cams Sports Latest Stories (No heading) For girls in baseball, Little League not the end (No heading) Manfred elected the next MLB commissioner (No heading) Varsity 541 College Sports Beavers have a heated red zone session Thompson Tradition SOU men picked first, women second in CCC Freshman Hawkins catching on at OSU Running down Heisman contenders not named Jameis Pro Sports (No heading) Manfred elected the next MLB commissioner (No heading) (No heading) Record Pace Community Sports Results / Standings Second season a success for Rogues Runners defend titles in Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Locals shine in Dwarf Car Nationals opener Mustangs rout Alaska in opener Business Latest Stories If there's a way to fund energy savings, they'll find it Oregon's unemployment rate holds steady Blog: Big boy investors chasing after Grocery Outlet Blog: Once Upon A Time... Blog: AmericanWest owners seeking ways to cash out Real Estate News Median residential housing prices rise 10.7 percent, but may begin to level out People In Business People in business Transportation Medford airport has second-best June ever Agriculture Hail has local pear growers checking for damage Del Rio plans to add 50% more plants Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Aug. 15 Parent-teacher conferences can wait a year Michael Gerson: The paradox of American diversity Letters to the Editor, Aug. 14 Our View: Cheers and Jeers Editorials Parent-teacher conferences can wait a year Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our View: Police body cams provide a valuable tool Other Views: Curbing campus assaults Our View: Dark money flows into Oregon Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Aug. 15 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 14 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 13 Letters to the Editor Tuesday, Aug. 12 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 11 Guest Opinions Who I am and why I want to serve on the City Council City council members should be paid Lifestyle Latest stories Second annual King of the Rogue races Saturday Fishing Report: Friday, Aug. 15 Denman parking scofflaws get reprieve Get Out: Friday, Aug. 15 What's in your Camelbak? Or how not to get stranded on the trail Food Community blog: Spur quicker consumption with quick pickling Dutch ovens are a versatile way to cook outdoors Matt’s Favorite Pie Crust Peach Pie Southwestern Baked Chicken Home and Garden Lawn talk Tips for keeping backyard birds cool this summer Bath time for the birds: You can help them stay cool and clean Learn to pick produce at the peak of ripeness Support the mycorrhizae! It could help your plants Health Community blog:Can We Define Quality Health Care? Patient numbers double at local clinics Shaking that plumb-tuckered feeling Community blog:Maybe the Movies Will Lead the Way Asante plans to open big outpatient clinic in Grants Pass Faith Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East - Part three of four Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East part 2 Religion briefs Community Blog: Peace: The inward passage - by Bonnie Greenwell Milestones and Achievements Century Club New Arrivals Wedding: Schulman-Nadolny Stuss-Bones Births Tempo Latest stories 5 Things to Do This Weekend Third Fridays art walk in Medford Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Review: The joy of 'Godspell' is infectious Delta Halos and The Lures at Club 66 Theater Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Review: The joy of 'Godspell' is infectious Randall Theatre opens 'Godspell' Entertainment 'on the bricks' at OSF 'Shrek' comes to the stage as a musical Music Review: Béla Fleck pairs his banjo with Britt orchestra Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra at Pear Blossom Park Duke Street: 'On the Fly' Fleck to perform banjo concerto Sweet Ghosts at Oberon's Community Events 5 Things to Do This Weekend Dining Basil & Berries India Palace Taco Riendo Uber Herbal Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW SIGN ORDINANCE Medford eyes electronic sign visual pollution By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 9, 2014 @ 2:00 am By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 9, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Social News Medford Planning Commission members have taken a dim view of message board signs that advertise for multiple businesses. "We all dislike regulation," said Planning Commissioner Bill Mansfield. "I do believe we have to take a hard look at sign boards that don't relate to the business — what I would call off-premise advertising." Two prominent message boards, in particular, display advertising for a number of businesses. One is in front of the People's Bank at the corner of Barnett Road and Highland, and the other is in front of Sleep Country at McAndrews Avenue and Biddle Road. "My view of these off-premise advertising signs is there should be some regulation on them, perhaps a prohibition," Mansfield said. Mansfield said the issue arose after the city approved the People's Bank location, which now has a constantly changing sign that advertises for several businesses. “We thought they were going to advertise interest rates,” Mansfield said. “Now they’re advertising medical services and everything else.” People's Bank wanted the sign to display current interest rates but also to advertise a couple of medical businesses inside the same building. People's Bank officials wanted a single electronic sign instead of installing a number of signs on the property to advertise the different businesses on the premises. M2M Development in Medford manages the message board at the corner of Biddle and McAndrews, displaying about 10 different advertisers on it. The sign features photocell sensors to adjust the brightness so it doesn’t interfere with night driving. In addition, the sign displays community service bulletins alerting motorists about Amber alerts as well as suspects being sought in a criminal case. “The only thing I can think about with the sign is being a good citizen and a community member,” said Robert MacLellan, who has an ownership interest in M2M. He said the sign has helped locate an elderly person who was missing and has helped police get the word out about the ban on fireworks in town. The U.S. is undergoing an evolution in signs and many communities are dealing with electronic message boards in different ways, MacLellan said. But he doesn’t think prohibiting advertising for off-premises business is a good idea. “There are people who work and get paid for these signs,” he said. The issue of over-advertising on electronic signs is part of a broader review of Medford’s sign ordinance. Other issues the Planning Commission will weigh include limiting glare, eliminating flickering images and the ability to change the intensity of the illumination based on ambient light. Last year, the city adopted a new code that changed the minimum amount of time an image could be displayed from two seconds to five seconds. The continuous scrolling of text is prohibited. Signs in commercial areas can be 150 square feet in size, and in industrial areas, they can be 200 square feet. The size of electronic signs is another issue that the Planning Commission will consider. Michael Zarosinski, chairman of the Planning Commission, said it is premature to endorse any particular steps to regulate signs. “We need to protect the visual landscape, but we’re not trying to eliminate advertising or get rid of certain signs,” he said. “Whether or not we want to be Times Square, we will have to sort that out.” He said the issues Medford faces are being confronted by many other communities around the U.S. as the technology of electronic signs evolves. Any changes to the code would have to be mindful of freedom of speech considerations, he said Zarosinski said it will likely take months for the Planning Commission to develop any recommendations to the City Council, which has also expressed frustration about the proliferation of electronic signs. He said the issue will have to be dealt with deliberately and carefully. “Nothing will be discounted or ignored,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter at @reporterdm.   By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 9, 2014 @ 2:00 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. 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 Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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 2014 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