Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
STAFF REPORT
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Farhad Mortazavi, APA, City Planner
Lorraine Weiss, APA, Principal Planner
VIA: Dan Barros, City Manager
MEETING DATE: January 14, 2026
SUBJECT: Study Session – LED Reader Board Signs
RECOMMENDATION
This is a study session for informational purposes only. No City Council action will be taken; t he purpose of this study session is to allow the City Council to consider different features of LED electronic reader board signs and provide comments, feedback, and direction to staff.
COUNCIL ADOPTED VALUES
The City Council’s review and discussion of reader board signs is consistent with responsibility and vision as it furthers the Town’s efforts to provide signage consistent with General Plan and Municipal Code.
BACKGROUND
At its meeting of October 22, 2025 , the City Council held a Study Session to consider LED electronic reader board sign and their various features for installation at two locations: 1) the corner of El Camino Real and Serramonte Boulevard in front of the Police Department, and 2) in front of the Colma Community Center fronting Hillside Boulevard. Staff requested that the Council consider the following criteria:
• Size
• Black and white or color
• Speed (technical)
• Sensor based on weather conditions.
• Location
The Council heard the staff presentation , heard public testimony provided by two members of the community who thought electronic reader board signs is a great idea, and asked questions of staff. The Council provided the following comments and directions to staff:
• Provide dimension from grade to bottom of sign.
Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
• Raise sign in front of the Community Center.
• Install story poles for each location which represent approximate sign size and location. • Perhaps consider larger sized signs.
• They liked color LED reader board signs as long as they are readable. • Provide renderings to show signs within their surrounds. • Ask the City of South San Francisco how the reader board sign holds up in inclement weather.
• Automatic dimming is necessary to control sign brightness. • Double-sided sign for sign in front of the Community Center is good as long as the Train Station is not obstructed.
• Sign security is important so that hackers do not interfere with messages. • Be sure signs work and when they go on the blink they are fixed immediately. • Internal illumination of sign is preferred.
• Consider both flat and curved sign options for sign in front of the Police Department.
ANALYSIS
In consultation with Planar, a manufacturer representative of the LED reader board signs, staff discussed the various criteria and features to determine appropriate sign specifications and provided additional information. The Council should review the following standard criteria:
• Size
• Black and white or color
• Speed (technical)
• Sensor based on weather conditions.
• Location
Each of these criteria are discussed below for the Council’s consideration. The Town is exploring the ‘Planar Luminate Ultra W ’ LED reader board model for installation which provides for the appropriate features and specifications.
South San Francisco LED Reader Board Sign: Discussing the Colma project in some detail with a Planar representative, it was noted that the panels used for the South San Francisco installation utilized a product with likely an 8 -10 mm pitch, a grainy read . Pixel pitch is a measure of how close the pixel “dots” of light on an LED panel are to each other. The smaller the pitch value, the closer the pixels are packed together, resulting in a higher definition image. Conversely, larger pitch values indicate greater spacing between “d ots” which can lead to lower resolution images Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
that start to look fuzzy or blocky when viewed at closer distances. The South San Francisco sign, with its larger pixel pitch has a low-resolution feel when viewed nearby.
A lower pitch, 2 mm pixel pitch, suitable for viewing from as close as 20 feet distance is recommended for the Colma signs. The improved content handling will also reduce the effects of refresh rate banding when the sign is photographed.
Flat Sign vs. Curved Sign: A curved sign adds significant additional expense both upfront and in the maintenance of the sign , does not add fun ctionality, and the letters tend to bleed off the screen. Therefore, flat screen signs are recommended.
Sign Size and Location: The Council requested consideration of larger signs. The manufacturer’s representative was asked to recommend sizing for each site that would have the best balance for visual appeal and readability. For the sign at the Police Department, a wall sign could be mounted on the Police Department building wall, however, this would require the removal of three existing trees for visibility. This opens a large space that can accommodate a larger sign, making content more visible a nd legible for the public as they t raverse the El Camino Real and Serramonte Boulevard intersection. A sign of up to approximately 14.7’ feet wide by 8.26 feet high, and raised
6.66’ from grade would be possible at this location. Please refer to photomontage below.
Photo 1: Reader Board Wall Sign @ the Police Department, El Camino Real and Serramonte Boulevard intersection
At this intersection location, an alternative would be similar to where the existing temporary wood signs are placed, between the low tiered walls and the building wall. This sign would not require tree removal. A sign in this location would need to be raised higher than the tiered walls and be housed with a Spanish Mediterranean style structure in keeping with the ‘P’ District regulations Colma Police Department
Public Digital Display Board (Monochrome)
View to the North Wall Mounted
176.4 in
99.2 in
Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
would need to be designed. A sign of up to approximately 14.7’ feet wide by 8.26 feet high, and raised 4’ from grade would be possible at this location. Please refer to photomontage below.
Photo 2: Reader Board Sign @ the Police Department, El Camino Real and Serramonte Boulevard Intersection
For the sign at the Community Center along the Hillside Boulevard frontage, it is recommended that this sign be smaller than the Police Department sign , for both purposes of aesthetics and practicality when constructing the footing. This would be a double-faced sign, approximately 10.5 feet wide by 5.91 feet high, and raised 10 feet from grade. Please refer to photomontage below.
Colma Police Department
Public Digital Display Board (Monochrome)
View to the North Pole Mounted
176.4 in
99.2 in
Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
Photo 3: Reader Board Sign @ the Colma Community Center fronting Hillside Boulevard
Photo 4: Reader Board Sign @ the Colma Community Center fronting Hillside Boulevard
Brightness: The brightness of the produce recommended is suitable for outdoor use with a maximum brightness of 3000 lumens. Lumens measure the total amount of visible light emitted by a source, indicating its brightness; more lumens mean a brighter light, while fewer lumens mean a dimmer light, making it the key factor for brightness, not watts (which measure energy use). For example, an 800-lumen LED bulb provides similar brightness to a traditional 60 -watt incandescent bulb but uses much less energy.
Colma Community Center
Public Digital Display Board (Monochrome, Double-sided) View to the North
Pole Mounted
126 in
70.92 in
Colma Community Center
Public Digital Display Board (Monochrome,
Double-sided)
126 in
70.92 in
Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
The Planar LED reader board sign design includes a daylight sensor for each installation to accommodate automatic dimming of the signs as evening approaches.
Weather Considerations: The Planar reader board signs can include weather sensors which is necessary to withstand the marine environment in Colma; suitable with the fog.
Color Sign: The electronic reader board signs can be in color. Planar has indicated that the LED reader board sign model they recommend can be provided in color.
Sign Illumination: Planar has indicated that the LED reader board sign model recommended can be internally illuminated.
Power Equipment: The power requirements for this type of signage is significant, with up to eleven (11) 120 volt, 20 amp circuits per display. This should be accounted for in the technical design of the project to ensure the main power feed from PG&E can accommodate the requisite loads at each site.
Cabling and Undergrounding: Control for all signage will be via wired CAT6 ethernet connections to protect against digital vandalism. Network cabling for each sign must run in its own conduit, with these larger signs requiring multiple network cables to signal. A network conduit capable of accepting a network bundle of up to six (6) CAT6 runs is recommended.
Power for each sign location must also be provided through dedicated conduit.
Consideration will be given for the underground work that may be required to bring power and signal to the street adjacent sidewalk location from the Community Center building.
Existing Signs
As provided in the previous Study Session staff report, the existing signs are shown below for reference only.
Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
Existing sign in front of Colma Police Department
Existing sign in front of Colma Community Center
Staff Report – Study Session; Electronic Reader Board Signs
Messages on the Reader Board Sign s
As indicated in the previous Study Session staff report, the reader board signs would only include government speech to ensure that the Town does not face any risk of a first amendment lawsuit.
If the Town was to open up the reader board signs to non -government speech, it must comply with the first amendment which may require it to allow messages that it disagrees with as hate speech is protected by the first amendment. Under first amendment principles, once the Town opens the reader board to outside spee ch, it cannot discriminate based on viewpoint or restrict hate speech. As indicated in the previous study session, it is staff’s recommendation, in consultation with the City Attorney’s Office, that the Town only display Town messages and events.
ENVIRONMENTAL
The City Council's consideration of the study session item is exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15306 as information collection to determine the appropriate reader board sign to purchase with any further environmental review to be conducted, or determined to be exempt, based on the City Council's selection of the sign and installation option.
FISCAL IMPACT
On June 25, 2025, the City Council adopted the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Included within this CIP Budget is $150,000 for two reader board signs.
An estimate from Planar, the manufacturer vendor, for the three (one double-faced sign and one individual sign) reader board signs, has been provided which provides a high er level of specification and detail than originally known. Also, we do not have a construction estimate. The project is likely to cost approximately $300,000 for both locations, or double the original estimate.
The Town will incur the cost of purchasing the reader board signs, preparing plans and installing the signs at their respective locations. The signs have already been funded partially by adoption of the CIP budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 ($150,000).
NEXT STEPS
Based on the feedback from Council’s direction, staff will prepare drawings and specifications to order the appropriate LED reader board signs.