Council approves 30-year development agreement for freeway digital sign despite neighborsconcerns

Moreno Valley city leaders on Dec. 17 approved a 30-year development agreement allowing a 50-foot, freeway-oriented digital sign at an RV and boat storage site off Spruce Avenue and west of Redlands Boulevard.

The City Council adopted staff recommendations after a public hearing and discussion. The agreement calls for a one-time $500,000 donation to the Moreno Valley Foundation and a 20% annual profit-sharing arrangement for the life of the term; the agreement also allows the city to use the sign for official messages and announcements.

City Community Development Director Angelica Fraustolubo told the council the proposal includes a digital display measuring 14 feet by 48 feet mounted on two 36-foot poles and that staff recommends a Class 32 CEQA exemption for the project. "The term of the draft agreement is for 30 years," Fraustolubo said during the report to council.

Representing the applicant, Jeremy Kraut said the owner sees the sign as a way to provide information from the freeway and to generate revenue that can be shared with the city: "They see this as an opportunity along the freeway to bring, both information, via the ability to have the city put messaging on the board as well," Kraut said.

Neighbors and a planning commissioner urged greater study. Resident David Sites said the sign could be visible across the east end of town and asked the council not to grant an environmental exemption: "I feel that that area has not been properly notified," Sites said, and he urged an environmental impact report to analyze light and visual effects on distant neighborhoods.

Council members pressed staff and the applicant on light levels and the city's ability to require nighttime dimming. Fraustolubo said an illumination study had been prepared and that staff expects the applicant to allow adjustments to brightness; she said the modeled foot-candle levels would be lower than a typical shopping-center standard.

Councilmember Delgado said staff and the applicant had sought to address lighting and visual concerns: "We did do our homework," Delgado said, noting the applicant agreed to technical limits and to adjust the sign if needed. Mayor Cabrera also emphasized the community-benefit elements as part of the approval.

The planning commission had reviewed and recommended the project in November. The council vote to approve the development agreement was unanimous.

The agreement also includes terms for renegotiation at the end of the 30-year term; staff said the city could seek to renegotiate or remove the sign if the parties do not reach a new agreement.

The project's final design and exact operational controls for brightness will be set by the conditions in the executed development agreement and subject to follow-up enforcement by city staff.