TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND FROM: Councilmember Salas
CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: February 25, 2025
________________________________________________________________ Approved: Date: 2/25/25
___________________________________________________________________________ SUBJECT: Large Format Digital Signage on City-Owned Property.
RECOMMENDATION
• Accept the memorandum submitted by the Mayor, Vice Mayor Foley, and Councilmembers Salas, Cohen & Mulcahy with the following additions:
a. Expand the scope of allowed usage of the City’s share of advertising time on all signs under this contract to include “promotion of City-funded cultural events occurring in the Downtown commercial zone.” This is in addition to “events and performances at Team San Jose-managed facilities,” as stated in the Staff Memo dated Feb 3, 2025.
b. Include the sign curvature and structural support designs, as shown in renderings in Staff presentation dated Feb 25, 2025, for the two signs placed on site of the Center for Performing Arts, into the definition of Artistic Sign Enhancements as stated in the Staff Memo.
DISCUSSION
This additional memorandum is informed by ongoing conversations with residents, who have emphasized the importance of ensuring these billboards contribute to the public good.
Specifically, residents have expressed a desire that these billboards serve the public good by promoting non-profit-operated events and cultural programming within the Downtown.
Accordingly, this proposal clarifies the “cultural programming” use of the City’s share of advertising time within the scope specified in the Mayor and Council Memo dated Feb 21, 2025, “safety alerts, community events, and cultural programming.” City-funded cultural events are events receiving grants from the Office of Cultural Affairs, other city departments, or City
Council offices. The City’s share of advertising time is a minimum of 15% screen time on all signs plus all unsold advertising time.
The San Jose Center for the Performing Arts is a significant architectural landmark serving communities across the Bay Area. The design of the two signs to be placed on-site must be compatible with the building’s architecture which is important to the Council’s approval of this project.