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Planning board forwards favorable recommendation for electronic message center at 5103 Washington Street with strict conditions
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Summary
The board approved a minor sign exception and voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the Village Board for an electronic message center sign at 5103 Washington Street, attaching nine conditions including no flashing/scrolling, automatic dimmer/photocell, and midnight–6 a.m. shutoff.
The Gurnee Planning and Zoning Board on April 15 approved a minor sign exception for a replacement sign at 5103 Washington Street and voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the Village Board for a special use permit for an electronic message center (EMC) sign, subject to nine conditions.
Staff described a petition represented by SignArt and identified site constraints—detention and a retention pond—that limit options for relocating the existing sign. Staff named Steve Vandersloot as the SignArt representative and said the replacement would be at the same location as the existing sign.
The motion to approve a minor sign exception (to allow a zero-foot setback to replace the existing sign) passed by roll call. The board then considered the EMC special-use recommendation. A board member read nine required conditions aloud: no portion of the image may flash, scroll, twirl, change color, or imitate movement; the sign must have an automatic dimmer with a photocell to adjust brightness to ambient light; bright white backgrounds are prohibited and amber text on dark backgrounds is encouraged; each message must display for a minimum of 30 seconds (the Village Board will review duration in six months); the sign must be shut off between midnight and 6 a.m.; minimum letter/number height is six inches; transitions between messages must be instantaneous; messages must be contained on a single screen (no multi-part continuations); and the display shall have a 6-millimeter resolution.
A second was made and the motion to forward the favorable recommendation and conditions to the Village Board carried on a roll-call vote. The board noted that the Village Board retains final approval authority for the EMC special use permit; the Planning and Zoning Board’s action was a recommendation on conditions and compliance.
The board scheduled its next meeting for May 6, when noticed public hearings will continue to be heard.
