Design Review Committee approves digital-display monument sign for Alliance Credit Union despite safety concerns

The Boerne Design Review Committee on June 11 approved a certificate of approval permitting a monument sign with a fully digital display for Alliance Credit Union at 1440 South Main Street.

Planning staff member Joanne Marie Andrade said the proposed digital display is approximately 7 feet by 4 feet (about 28 square feet) and would comprise 100% of the sign face, exceeding the 25% digital-area threshold for properties in the entrance corridor overlay district. Andrade told the committee corrected exhibits were presented after the published packet identified the wrong parcel and that final sign permit approval will require compliance with applicable Unified Development Code requirements and Appendix D dark-sky regulations. "Final sign permit approval is required before installation and the permit will not be approved unless the sign complies with all applicable UDC requirements," Andrade said.

Resident comments focused on safety and visibility. A nearby resident who said they drive by the site frequently asked whether a fully digital 7-by-4-foot display at a stoplight would be distracting and suggested a backlit static panel might be less so. "So adding additional distraction for me is a concern with respect to traffic," the resident said.

Applicant Clifton Johnson, who identified himself and the property address for the record, told the committee the proposed digital display is similar in appearance to a backlit sign and that the bank uses the panel primarily to update rates and service information. Johnson described the display's pixel density and said it would include automatic dimming and a timer set to turn the sign off at 10 p.m. "They're set up and down, and we'll put them on a timer to come off with 10," he said.

Staff framed three review considerations—economic function, traffic and connectivity, and streetscape compatibility—and asked the committee to determine whether the digital element is appropriate for the corridor context. After brief discussion and an offer by the applicant to provide commissioners with the mock-up and technical details, the committee moved to approve the certificate of approval. The chair announced, "The motion has passed." The transcript records a voice vote but does not include a roll-call tally.

The committee also asked that the applicant email the mock-up and supporting materials to planning staff so they could be added to the public record. The meeting adjourned at 6:18 p.m.