Rangeley — The Ordinance Committee voted Nov. 19 to narrow how electronic message centers (EMCs) may operate in town, approving a set of changes that cap EMC size, ban animated transitions and require messages to remain visible for at least five minutes.

The committee began the meeting by noting a site visit to a local builder supply to examine real-world displays. “We did meet at 05:00 over at builder supply just to get a feel for what a 100 nits looks like, under dark conditions,” one committee member said, citing that on‑site demonstration as a basis for proposed brightness limits.

Why it matters: EMCs combine static sign area with lighted, programmable displays that can change messages and brightness. Committee members said the changes aim to preserve the town’s existing sign-size caps while allowing non‑animated electronic messaging that meets local brightness and nuisance standards.

What the committee approved

- Size cap: The ordinance was amended to state that an electronic message center “in no case shall exceed 32 square feet,” aligning EMC maximum size with the town’s standard for static signs and removing proposed language that would have limited EMCs to 75% of the sign face.

- Animation and transitions: Committee members voted to prohibit flashing, blinking or pulsating lights and required that any change in the displayed message occur instantaneously (no fades, slides or transitional animation). A motion to amend the language to this effect passed unanimously.

- Minimum display time: The committee discussed an alternative to match a State of Maine guidance recommending 20 minutes per message, but that proposal failed for lack of a second. The committee voted 3–1 to retain a five‑minute minimum display time for EMC messages, with members reserving the right to revisit the interval later.

- Definitions and structure: The committee moved the definition of “Electronic Message Center” into the ordinance’s definitions section to improve consistency, and approved earlier subsections addressing permitted static images (non‑animated pictures) and related wording.

Key points from debate

Members raised practical concerns about how timing and sharing would work when multiple businesses use one sign. One member asked how a 20‑minute rule would affect a shared sign serving several businesses, noting that “if there were five businesses, that’s an hour and 20 minutes for the full rotation.” Jeff, who timed a typical drive through town during the recent site visit, said the stretch of Main Street he timed offered only about a minute of visibility for a driver and suggested that a five‑minute rotation is unlikely to produce overwhelming churn for passing motorists.

Committee members also discussed how allowances for additional businesses in a single building (a 12‑square‑foot increment per additional business in the draft) interact with the 32‑square‑foot cap; they amended the text to make the EMC cap explicit and to avoid creating ambiguous percentage‑based limits.

Numbers and technical notes

- Night brightness observed on the site visit: committee cited 100 nits as an example of acceptable evening illumination.
- Daytime peak cited during the meeting: 10,000 nits was mentioned by a member as what some displays can reach in daylight.
- Standard static sign maximum used as the cap: 32 square feet.
- Per‑additional‑business allowance referenced in discussion: 12 square feet.
- Minimum display time retained: 5 minutes (committee vote 3–1).

Votes and formal actions

- Motion to accept Oct. 29 minutes — moved and seconded; unanimous.
- Motion to accept section 38.1 (items 0.8 and 0.1 a–c) — motion moved and seconded; unanimous.
- Motion to move the EMC definition into the definitions section — moved and seconded; unanimous.
- Motion to approve subsection 0.1 and new subsection b (electronic changing signs) — moved by Val, second by Scott; unanimous.
- Motion to amend subsection c to remove the 75% clause and state EMCs shall not exceed 32 square feet — moved and seconded; unanimous.
- Motion to amend subsection d to prohibit flashing/blinking/pulsing and to require instantaneous message changes — moved by Scott; seconded; unanimous.
- Motion to change minimum display time to 20 minutes (per State of Maine guidance) — no second; did not carry.
- Motion to keep the minimum display time at 5 minutes — moved and seconded; carried 3–1.

Next steps

The committee scheduled its next meeting for Dec. 3 at 5:00 p.m. Members flagged the EMC animation and timing provisions for possible future refinement and requested staff to confirm cross-references elsewhere in the sign chapter so the new EMC language integrates consistently with existing sign‑size and marquee sections.

Attribution: Direct quotes and attributions in this story come from the committee discussion recorded during the Nov. 19 Ordinance Committee meeting in Rangeley.

Ending: The committee adjourned after completing the set of EMC amendments and setting a Dec. 3 follow‑up meeting.