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Commission approves UND scoreboard sign; commissioners and residents voiced safety concerns
Summary
The commission approved a sign appeal to place a scoreboard/LED display at UND's Bell Bank Track, with the designer saying the northeast-facing side will be LED for events while the backside will remain static; commissioners and residents raised motorist-distraction and visibility concerns before a 3–2 approval.
The Planning and Zoning Commission approved an appeal from the University of North Dakota to site a scoreboard-style sign at the Memorial Village track area, after staff and the sign designer explained the proposal and commissioners asked questions about visibility and lighting.
Staff described the sign’s location and visibility; in presentation the city noted the board will be visible primarily to spectators and is intended to function as a scoreboard for track events. "The intent for the sign is... the north east facing side is gonna be LED... the backside, the intent was for it to be static," said Todd Licks of Eckhart Decks, the designer on the project. He added the LED face is aimed at the spectator side and the back is intended to be non-changing and either backlit or illuminated at night.
Residents and some commissioners questioned whether additional signage at Memorial Village could distract motorists or add clutter near an already sign‑heavy area. One commissioner expressed concern about motorists approaching the area at 40 mph and the potential for a sudden distraction near youth activity locations. Staff clarified that this is an on‑premise naming sign tied to the facility and not an off‑premise advertisement, and noted past differences where off‑premise advertising was removed.
The commission moved and approved the sign appeal; the transcript records the motion as passing by a 3–2 vote.
Why it matters: The sign will be used for event scoring and spectator information but adds LED lighting facing public right of way; commissioners emphasized the need to balance facility function for spectators with public-safety and visual-clutter concerns.
Next steps: Staff will coordinate installation requirements and ensure the static backside and lighting controls conform to the conditions described in the application.
