[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Outlook
OPPOSE - Policy 6-4 and RFP for Billboards - Item 5.1 - City Council 11/19 From Jordan Moldow
Date Tue 11/19/2024 12:06 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District3 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>
I request that Council reject staff recommendation (c) for this item, rejecting the authorization to proceed with an RFP for new billboards at SJC.
Excellent letters have already been submitted by Leslie Levitt (on behalf of No Digital Billboards in San Jose (NDBSJ)) and Paul D. Lynam FRAS, Astronomer. Please read their letters fully. They capture everything I could hope to say, and more.
Driving on Highway 101, the most distracting (and sometimes blinding) segments are those where digital billboards are present. The changing messages are distracting, they are rarely messages I want to see, and they are often way too bright. If the signs aren't safe to shine into the eyes of pilots, then they aren't safe to shine into the eyes of motor vehicle drivers either.
Putting such billboards along Coleman Avenue would be so much worse. If nothing else, I hope Council will not authorize any Coleman-facing billboards. The impacts on driving would be the same as on 101, but the deadly impacts can be worse, since a distracted driver can hit pedestrians and cyclists on Coleman.
Staff recommendations (a) and (b) are strictly improvements to Policy 6-4, so I'm fine with approving them. But I'm also fine with rejecting them, given the inherent flaws with Policy 6-4 that have been pointed out by the two aforementioned public comment letters.
Best,
Jordan Moldow, a D3 resident (speaking on behalf of himself) Japantown, 95112
11/19/24, 9:56 AM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADUxOWI4ZjE3LTRkNDEtNGUzMS04MjAwLTIzNzdiYTdkMjc5NAAQA… 1/1
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Outlook
FW: Item 5.1
From City Clerk <[email protected]>
Date Tue 11/19/2024 9:59 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
From: iq4rent sc < >
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 9:15 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Item 5.1
I am writing to urge you to oppose any large illuminated billboards in our community. Here are some reasons why.
I have a medical condition commonly known as the "suicide disease" and one of the things that sets it off is bright light. There are numerous times I have spent minutes to hours writhing in uncontrollable pain as the result of passing a lighted billboard around 24th/Santa Clara, along the freeway or in other cities. The effect of these signs (and Sonic Runway), for me, is like an ice pick going through my eye and all I'm focused on is the excruciating pain, driving is secondary.
I know I'm not alone in this, there are other people with medical issues like seizure related conditions, people with astigmatism and other medical conditions where additional and/or unexpected bursts of light can affect them negatively and, as a result, affect their driving ability.
I used to live a block from city hall and one of the things I loved was how dark it still was at night in such a large town, how easy it was to see the stars. I now live one block outside of San Jose in an area that's even darker, the stars are even easier to see and it feels really special.
Anything that increases light pollution and robs people of the beauty of the night sky with all its constellations and stars is not a win for the people.
Regards,
Shaunn Cartwright
One short, but so meaningful, block out of D9
11/19/24, 11:28 AM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADUxOWI4ZjE3LTRkNDEtNGUzMS04MjAwLTIzNzdiYTdkMjc5NAAQA… 1/1