Mason City council to consider second reading of electronic sign regulations

MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City tonight will consider the second of three readings of an ordinance changing regulations on the way electronic signs are used by businesses and organizations.

The proposed changes would require the signs have brightness controls that would dim the signs after dark as well as reduce the amount of animation used on message displays. The council at their October 6th meeting approved the first reading of the ordinance but instructed staff to respond to concerns expressed by a local sign contractor who objected to the proposed changes.

Director of Development Services Steven Van Steenhuyse in a memo to the council says that several cities of Mason City’s size in Iowa allow and regulate electronic message center-type signs, but they are banned in communities such as Ottumwa and Clinton.

The proposed regulation of seven seconds of time between messages is consistent with earlier requirements adopted for electronic billboards in Mason City, with Van Steenhuyse saying that amount of time assures that motorists will always see at least one message as they pass by and will likely see more than one.

The council meets at 7 o’clock tonight in an electronic meeting that you can see by heading to masoncity.net.