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BZA allows 30-second cycle for church's changeable digital sign, with conditional review
Summary
Berne's Board approved a conditional permit to allow 1st Missionary Church's changeable digital sign to cycle every 30 seconds, with the board reserving the right to require a longer interval if safety issues emerge.
The Berne Board of Zoning Appeals voted to permit the 1st Missionary Church's changeable-message sign to cycle every 30 seconds but attached a condition that the board may require a longer interval (one minute) if it creates safety concerns.
The church representative said the current five-minute default felt slow and requested a faster cycle, noting experience with their sign and graphics staff. The representative said, "I would like to change every 30 seconds," and argued that faster cycling would better serve messaging needs without becoming distracting. In response, a board member said, "we can start with 30 seconds if we see the problem. We'll have you come back in," proposing conditional approval with follow-up review.
Board members discussed safety factors—animation, color restrictions and the frequency of change—citing prior stipulations prohibiting flashing, red or blue colors and restricting animation. Several members noted a proposed city ordinance could reduce the minimum display time to one minute; the BZA nevertheless approved the 30-second cycle for this applicant with the option to require a change if safety complaints arise.
