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Council directs staff to negotiate digital‑billboard standards after debate over swap‑down, locations and illumination
Summary
After a lengthy hearing the council asked staff to negotiate detailed standards and return with an ordinance for digital billboards and a swap‑down mechanism, limiting changes to unincorporated county roadways including interstates and State Road 44; the council emphasized illumination limits and swap‑down ratios.
The Volusia County Council discussed a private request to change county code to allow additional off‑site and digital billboards on May 20 and directed staff to return with draft ordinance language and negotiated terms after public comment and debate.
What the request asked: An attorney for a billboard owner asked the county to expand where off‑site (off‑premises) billboards are permitted in unincorporated Volusia County and to permit digital billboards. The applicant proposed a “swap‑down” that would allow one new digital face for every four nonconforming billboards voluntarily removed.
Debate and council direction: Council members asked detailed questions about federal restrictions on billboards along federal‑aid highways, the ability to amortize nonconforming signs, and public‑safety and aesthetics concerns such as brightness and changing intervals. Staff noted federal regulations limit what local governments can do to force removal of billboards along federal highways and recommended illumination limits, minimum change intervals and setbacks if digital faces are permitted. After public comment and a multi‑hour discussion, the council voted 6–1 to direct staff to negotiate terms and bring back a proposed ordinance (not an immediate code change). The council emphasized: (a) not expanding off‑site billboards beyond specified roadways, (b) developing swap‑down ratios intended to reduce total nonconforming signage over time, (c) setting illumination/brightness limits and minimum ad‑change intervals to reduce driver distraction, and (d) including time‑for‑public‑service announcements for emergency management.
Why it matters: The item touches land‑use regulation, federal statutory limits on control of off‑site signs and the county’s aesthetics and traffic‑safety interests. Citizens and council members cited tradeoffs among local business advertising, public safety, commuter distraction and neighborhood appearance.
Next steps: Staff will return with draft ordinance language and suggested numerical standards (swap‑down ratio, brightness/illumination restrictions, change interval and allowed roadways). Council asked staff to prepare materials for Planning/LDR review and to return to council before finalizing any code amendments.
