F.V. council delays decision on LED message sign
After dozens of area residents showed up to Tuesday night’s Fountain Valley City Council meeting to voice their opinions on a proposed electronic message sign off the 405 Freeway, the council voted 3 to 2 to postpone a decision on the sign.
Most residents who spoke believe that the tall, two-sided LED, or light-emitting diode, sign would be detrimental to Fountain Valley and to nearby neighborhoods in Costa Mesa, possibly causing more traffic accidents, decreasing property values and spreading light into yards and homes from its planned location on a city-owned lot at 10955 Ellis Ave.
In August, the Fountain Valley Planning Commission voted unanimously not to recommend council approval for many of the reasons cited by residents.
In response to those worries, advertising firm Clear Channel Outdoor, which proposed the sign, outlined new plans that would reduce the sign’s height from 79 feet to 65 feet, move it 200 feet west of the original spot and angle the 48-by-14-foot display panels more toward the freeway. Clear Channel also proposed planting mature palm trees to help shield the sign from sight in the nearby neighborhoods.
Despite the design changes, most residents were still unhappy.
“This sign is illegal,” said Patrick Tucker of Fountain Valley. “They are not allowed to put a private property sign on public property.”
A few residents saw value in the sign.
“The sign would bring some much-needed revenue to the city,” said Larry Ahlswede of Fountain Valley.
The sign would bring in an estimated $150,000 annually for the city, according to the proposed 30-year contract with Clear Channel. The company also has pledged that it would support local law enforcement by issuing missing-persons messages on the sign.
“An LED sign that has Amber alerts is necessary,” said Fountain Valley resident Mickey Totten. “This is progress.”
The two dissenters in the council vote were Mayor Steve Nagel and Councilman Mark McCurdy.
“I have many concerns with the sign,” McCurdy said. “A sign the size of this magnitude is not in keeping with the sentiments of those that live here. Is $150,000 worth it if we suffer declining property values?”
No timetable was given on when the council would reconsider the matter.
“They’ll wait until emotions die down a little bit,” Tucker said. “Then they’ll wait until there’s a smaller crowd. This came up two years ago and I spoke at that point also.”
