Tamarac staff preview ordinance to allow limited electronic message signs

City staff previewed an ordinance that would amend the Land Development Code (section 10‑4.10) to permit electronic message signs for a limited set of uses and subject them to design, spacing and brightness limits. The amendment, presented by the community development director (Mr. Veil), would remove the special‑exception requirement for those specified uses while keeping distance separation and appearance standards.

Mr. Veil said the listed, allowable uses would include municipal facilities (to conform existing city signs), larger Broward County schools, religious assemblies, country clubs, stadiums and theaters, freestanding educational facilities with more than 500 pupils, and hospitals with more than 150 beds. He said the proposal would bar electronic message signs from facing residentially zoned or used property, retain a 10‑foot setback, and prohibit locating a new electronic sign within 150 feet of an existing EMC. "This is an amendment to our land development code, section ten‑4.10, and this is to allow electronic message signs for specific uses," he said.

Staff described dimensional limits: a maximum sign height of 6 feet, width of 7 feet, and no more than 50 square feet per sign face; brightness would be limited by a foot‑candle/lumen standard to avoid glare, though the ordinance text in the staff packet was summarized rather than read verbatim at the review. For signs on state, county or other public roads, staff noted necessary public right‑of‑way permits and FDOT coordination and said any installations must be consistent with the comprehensive plan and zoning that allows the use.

The amendment is listed for first reading at the upcoming commission meeting. Staff said detailed permit standards and the precise brightness metric will be included in the ordinance language and permit review process presented to the commission.