Planning commission recommends city council approve Rogers Media development agreement for three electronic message signs

The Lodi City Planning Commission voted unanimously on March 25, 2026 to recommend that the Lodi City Council adopt an ordinance authorizing a development agreement with Rogers Media Company to install, maintain and operate three electronic message signs on city‑owned properties.

City planner Cynthia summarized that the request follows a 2024 RFP and a 2022 municipal code amendment (section 17.34.070.H) permitting community electronic message boards on city property. The proposed development agreement would allow Rogers Media to place three signs at locations identified in the RFP (including a site near the city welcome sign at Hutchkins/Hearney, the old animal shelter at 1345 West Kettleman Lane, and the southwest corner of Kettleman and Westgate Drive near the future electric substation). Staff said the DA includes terms requiring Rogers Media to provide the city with a portion of advertising revenue, a negotiated share of display time for city messages, and a mechanism to push emergency alerts to the signs.

Cynthia and commissioners noted the item was revised after the city’s traffic engineer raised concerns about one originally proposed location; staff said the applicant agreed to move the Hutchkins sign into the center median to address sight‑line and signal interference concerns. Commissioners asked about maintenance responsibility, power source, security, visual impact, and timing for the nearby substation; staff said maintenance and installation are the company’s responsibility under the DA and the project would require subsequent use‑permit/site‑plan approvals and building permits before installation.

Matt Rogers, representing Rogers Media with Michael Jorgensson, described the company’s 25‑year operating history and said they operate in about 30 municipalities. Rogers said moving the Hutchkins location increased their project cost by about $40,000–$50,000 to extend power; he explained solar power is impractical for the high‑resolution displays planned and said the company has monitoring and security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access. Rogers said the company can run emergency messages quickly and cited an example where they posted a fire message “in 90 seconds” to support evacuation.

A commissioner moved and seconded a recommendation that the City Council adopt the development agreement and find the DA exempt under CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3) (the common‑sense exemption). The commission voted 6‑0 in favor. Staff reiterated that execution of the DA would be followed by separate use‑permit and site‑plan reviews and that signs would be removed if they interfere with future city development of the affected sites.

The DA advances to a City Council public hearing where council may accept, modify or disapprove the agreement. If council approves, the applicant will return to the Planning Commission and SPARK for the use‑permit and design review stages before obtaining building permits to install the signs.