Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
The signs they are a-changing. Call it just another time of the signs.
The Shawano Plan Commission on Wednesday backed off a plan that would have forced variable electronic messaging signs in the city to display any single text or graphic for at least eight seconds before changing.
The proposed change would have amended the ordinance in the city’s new code book, adopted in 2015, that requires a single message display time of at least 30 seconds.
One problem with the current rule is that few if any businesses are complying with it.
Some 19 businesses and public organizations in the city, including churches and schools and organizations such as the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce, have electronic messaging centers with LED or other types of displays that rotate every 2-4 seconds.
Most were in place before the 2015 code changes and were grandfathered in.
On Wednesday, Tony Zielinski, owner of the Four Seasons Resort, appeared before the commission to argue that even lowering the minimum time to eight seconds was unreasonable.
Zielinski is planning on adding an electronic messaging center outside the Four Seasons that would promote not only his business but also other community events.
“This technology has been around for 30 years and has been used successfully in town,” Zielinski told the commission.
Zielinski said it would be unfair to hold his sign to a different standard than the 19 that have already been grandfathered in.
Roger Brown of Daktronics, a South Dakota-based firm that designs video displays and related products for electronic messaging centers, told the commission that studies have shown no safety concerns as a result of variable electronic messaging signs.
After lengthy discussion, the commission recommended a minimum of three seconds for text massages or static images before they could change, and six seconds before any changeover of animated displays.
Zielinski said after the meeting that it was frustrating to have to put in so much time and effort to challenge the regulation, but he was pleased with the commission’s recommendation.
He said the shorter display time had many supporters in the business community.
“I want to thank the commission for having an open mind,” he said, and for a recommendation “that will be beneficial to the city and to businesses within the city.”