At the July Ravenna-Bryant Community
Association board meeting we decided to write to the Finance Committee of the
Seattle City Council opposing allowing video signs in Seattle.
Video signs have usually rapidly changing
electronic messages. They are bright
and can be audible. The board thought
they are ugly. Apparently all other
cities (in Washington? We are not sure the extent) do not allow them. The large one near Fife is on tribal land,
not subject to city regulation.
Apparently only the sign company wanted to lift the current moratorium on video signs and start putting them up. We are not aware of any citizens speaking out in favor of allowing video signs. Council member Conlin responded to RBCA's request to ban video signs by saying they had received legal advice that probably a ban could not hold up. The Finance Committee of the Seattle City Council just approved ending the moritorium on video signs and allowing them, with some restrictions on the allowed brightness during the night.
We have now written a letter from RBCA to
the entire City Council requesting they vote to ban video signs entirely. We think a ban could stand up in court because
we are not asking for all "speech" using signs to be prohibited, just
certain kinds of signs. We think video
signs only benefit the sign company and cause harm to the rest of us. Public safety will be harmed because video
signs are quite distracting to drivers.
Business will be harmed, especially those that benefit from tourism,
because of the increase in ugliness video signs can cause.
Apparently the Finance Committee didn't
hear from citizens so let's hope our community's voice via the RBCA opposing
the signs has more effect for the full Council vote on video signs scheduled
for Monday, Aug. 6. It is council bill
113692.
Ravenna-Bryant Community Association
[Please let the Council know what you think
about video signs. You can find e-mail
addresses for City Council members here.]