VACAVILLE, Calif. — Vacaville could receive new funds through the revenue of now-allowed digital billboards.
The city council voted unanimously Tuesday to amend a city ordinance that previously didn’t allow any billboards to be converted to digital ones. The new amendment will allow current standard billboards to be upgraded into digital ones with some restrictions.
The council and Vacaville Planning Commission say the amendment does not yet approve digital billboards, but opens the door to letting more into the city.
It’s something many on social media are expressing their lack of interest in.
“The digital billboards are too bright and the frequent change of messages is distracting to drivers,” said one commenter on the city’s Facebook page about the billboards. “The added city revenue is not worth the negative impacts.”
City staff put out a survey on the topic as well, resulting in just over 200 responses.
“Overwhelmingly, people want nothing but that’s not possible,” said councilmember Gregory Ritchie II. “Let’s utilize what’s already there and be rational. Billboards are already here, they’re static. We’ll make them more efficient and better to create revenue.”
Because of the approved motion, the added city revenue would come from negotiations about an “initial lump-sum payment prior to billboard operation, a flat annual fee and a percentage share of all annual gross revenue above the annual fee amount,” according to the staff report.
The money would go to things like the general funds and beautifying the city.
Along with the money for the city, any digital billboard will need to follow the existing sign ordinance and could only be constructed near Interstate 505 and the Northeast Growth Area, but not within the triangle of businesses connecting the roads.
