Tooele County Commissioners approved an overhaul of county sign regulations that will allow modern on-premise electronic message centers at businesses in unincorporated areas.
“Current regulations only allow for electronic signs to display date, time, temperature and non-commercial messages,” said Kerry Beutler, Tooele County planner. “Sign technology has changed dramatically. You can already see examples of these electronic message centers in Tooele City.”
The new regulations allow businesses to take advantage of the new technology to advertise their products or services on signs that are on their property and associated with their business, according to Beutler.
The ordinance change was prompted by an application on behalf of Mountain West Credit Union by Freedom LED Signs of Syracuse.
“Mountain West Credit Union wants to put a sign at their new Stansbury location that will be very similar to the one they have on Main Street in Tooele,” said Braxton Schenk, owner of Freedom LED Signs.
The new ordinance will allow electronic signs that use animation, scrolling, dissolve, fade, static, and instantaneous displays.
Prohibited sign effects include flashing, blank white, blinking and starbursts. Signs may not cause glare, blink rapidly or be so intensely lit that they create a nuisance to traffic or adjacent properties, according to the new ordinance.
“These effects create more of a distraction or nuisance,” Beutler said.
Electronic message centers must also be equipped with photocell technology to respond to varying light conditions and provide for automatic dimming.
“The new ordinance applies to a permitted on premise sign,” added Beutler. “We aren’t talking about billboards.”