Staff Report – 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: June 24, 2026
SUBJECT: LED Reader Board Signs – Final Direction on Design
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council make the following motion:
MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO PROCEED WITH FINAL DESIGN OF THE LED READER
BOARD SIGNS AT THE COLMA POLICE DEPARTMENT (CORNER OF EL CAMINO REAL AND SERRAMONTE BLVD.) AND THE COLMA COMMUNITY CENTER (DOUBLE FACED SIGN PERPENDICULAR TO HILLSIDE BLVD. CLOSER TO THE TRAIN DEPOT) PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15306
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 on April 8, 2026, 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 - Police Department: 10.5’ wide by 5.5’ high; Community Center: 10.5’ wide by
5.5’ high
•Location
The Council heard the staff presentation, and asked questions of staff. The Council provided the following comments and directions to staff:
AGENDA ITEM #5
Staff Report – Electronic Reader Board Signs
• Provide story poles at each site for each sign.
• Enlarge the sign at the Police Department location.
• For the Community Center sign, consider another location which stands out on its own and does not obstruct views of the Community Center building and the Train Depot further north in front of the parking area.
ANALYSIS
Subsequent to the April 8, 2026 Study Session, staff reviewed the sign locations and size at each of the sites at 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 Avenue.
Police Department Sign
Per the direction of the City Council, staff determined that it is appropriate to enlarge the sign from 10.5’ wide to 14.0’ wide, another 3.5’, and increase the height by .5’ to 6’ high. Revised story poles have been installed in this location. Please refer to photos below for story poles at this location.
Photo 1: Police Department Sign standing at the corner of Serramonte Boulevard and El Camino Real.
Staff Report – Electronic Reader Board Signs
Photo 2: Police Station - Driving east on Serramonte Boulevard to El Camino Real
Photo 3: Police Station – Driving in left turn lane on Serramonte Boulevard
Having reviewed the revised story poles, staff finds that the new width at 14’ to be feasible.
However, the council could consider an alternative width of 12’, which would equate to the median
Staff Report – Electronic Reader Board Signs
of the two proposed story pole iterations. Additionally, removal of the tree adjacent to the right of the sign would offer full visibility.
Colma Community Center Sign
Staff considered a different location for the Colma Community Center sign to the location of the existing street light north of the Historic Train Depot. The light pole itself would be removed and replaced with a post and the reader board sign. This would be a double-faced sign that is perpendicular to Hillside Boulevard. Sign dimensions for this sign are approximately 10.5’ wide by
5.5’ high, and 10’ from grade to bottom of sign. See Photo 4 below.
Photo 4: Hillside Boulevard Sign Location
The intent for this sign is that it would be visible as one drives in a southbound direction along Hillside Blvd from F Street and in the opposite direction heading northbound from Serramonte Blvd. See Photos 5 and 6, respectively, below. For clear visibility of the sign when driving along Hillside Boulevard in a northerly direction, staff is recommending that the one street tree in the green infrastructure median adjacent to the sidewalk be removed. Story poles have been installed in this location.
Staff Report – Electronic Reader Board Signs
Photo 5: Driving southbound along Hillside Boulevard
Staff Report – Electronic Reader Board Signs
Photo 6: Community Center - Driving northbound on Hillside Boulevard
This location would require the removal of one street tree located in the green infrastructure strip along Hillside Boulevard.
ENVIRONMENTAL
The City Council's consideration of this item is exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15306 as information collection with any further environmental review to be conducted, or determined to be exempt, based on the City Council's selection of the sign, the design, and future 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 higher 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). If staff determine that additional funds are necessary from the procurement process, they will request additional monies at that time.
NEXT STEPS
The City Council, by motion, should direct staff to proceed with final design of the LED reader board signs at the Colma Police Department and the Colma Community Center.