TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: Mayor Matt Mahan
Vice-Mayor Pam Foley
Councilmember Carl Salas
Councilmember David Cohen
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: June 17, 2025
Approved
SUBJECT: Actions Related to Large Format Digital Electronic Signs on City-Owned Property
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Accept staff recommendation.
2. Require the takedown of existing static billboard faces as listed in Attachment B of the staff memorandum to occur before construction of the large format electronic signs commences.
DISCUSSION:
In 2015, the City began exploring a policy change to allow large-format, electronic signs on City-owned land. Council Policy 6-4 outlines the rules and criteria for sign installation and operation, such as requiring signs to go dark the hours of 12:00 am and 6:00 am, a 6:1 take down ratio for new digital billboards (i.e., for every new electronic billboard installed, six static existing billboards must be removed), and use of 100% renewable San José Clean Energy. Other benefits include a minimum annual revenue guarantee of $1 million to the General Fund over twenty years, 12.5% of display time reserved for City use at no cost, and the right for the City to use the signs during a federal, state, or local emergency.
A key benefit of this project is the removal of existing non-electronic billboards from commercial and residential streets near the three installation sites. The selected media companies proposed a list of billboards for removal, which City staff reviewed and revised through mutual COUNCIL AGENDA: 6/17/2025
FILE: 25-724
ITEM: 8.7
agreement, as detailed in Attachment B of the staff memorandum. As a demonstration of good faith, removal of these static billboards should be required before new digital billboard installations can proceed.
The signers of this memorandum have not had, and will not have, any private conversation with any other member of the City Council, or that member’s staff, concerning any action discussed in the memorandum, and that each signer’s staff members have not had, and have been instructed not to have, any such conversation with any other member of the City Council or that member's staff.