Neighbors of former Manteca City Council member Jay Smart once joked they could actually read the newspaper at their kitchen table at night from the glow of 2,000 plus lights he put on the roof of his former Higton Street home each Christmas.
Having bright lights illuminate your home for a couple of hours during the holidays is one thing but having it happen night after night from dusk to dawn is another as far as current Councilman Vince Hernandez is concerned.
It is why the council last month essentially said “whoa” to a staff proposal to put in place sweeping new language to allow high-tech electronic message signs used by recreation/hospitality centers in select areas along the Highway 99 and Highway 120 Bypass corridors.
Hernandez doesn’t want people living along the north side of the Highway 120 Bypass to have to wear sunglasses when looking out their rear windows at night should an electronic message sign go in across the freeway for the premium outlet malls.
It is a much different attitude than 10 years ago when an investment firm pushed - and received - permission to put in a high-tech electronic message board on one of the Spreckels Park signs along Highway 99. After it was in place a number of residents in the El Rancho Mobile Home Park directly across the freeway complained they light came into the homes even with drapes drawn.
The council overall this time is concerned that the public might not have any say in the matter should a business propose such a sign under language in the suggested ordinance drafted by staff.
The state required 300-foot notifications for development issues would be ineffective in such a matter as such signs would have a farther reaching impact. Although no one has formerly complained to the city about the existing Bass Pro Shops signs which exceed what the city usually allows due to it being along a highway corridor, it is clear the visual impacts on Bass Pro Shops extend well beyond 300 feet from it as you go north of the 120 Bypass.
There are only a few places such signs could go in Manteca including south of the Highway 120 Bypass between Union Road and a point east of Main Street, the southern quadrants of the 120 Bypass and Airport Way interchange, along the 120 Bypass near the future McKinley Avenue interchange, the southwest corner of the Highway 99 and 120 Bypass interchange, the area that is now vacant between Highway 99 and the Northgate Drive/Main Street intersection, as well as on the northwest corner of the Lathrop Road and Highway 99 interchange.
Residents speaking at a previous council meeting said they were concerned staff would approve signs that most nearby residents object to having put in place,
Some of the rules that staff proposed for such signs include:
•They couldn’t exceed a height or a sign area that would be a nuisance to neighboring properties or motorists.
•They must be constructed of quality materials and of similar design and architecture as the regional recreation/hospitality center it is advertising.
•The hours of operation and illumination as well as changing images on the electronic display will not create a nuisance to surrounding uses, the vicinity, or traffic.
•The sign shall aid in the generation of sales tax revenue and/or promote the City of Manteca in a positive manner.
•The sign will be maintained in such a manner that the screen is fully functioning at all times. If the screen does develop areas with no or improper illumination that affect the overall quality of the images, the screen shall be turned off until necessary repairs have been made. The city’s Community Development Director has the authority to make such a determination.
Electronic message sign illumination and message rotation would have to comply with Caltrans safety standards as well. Caltrans bans message changes more frequent than every 10 seconds.
Having bright lights illuminate your home for a couple of hours during the holidays is one thing but having it happen night after night from dusk to dawn is another as far as current Councilman Vince Hernandez is concerned.
It is why the council last month essentially said “whoa” to a staff proposal to put in place sweeping new language to allow high-tech electronic message signs used by recreation/hospitality centers in select areas along the Highway 99 and Highway 120 Bypass corridors.
Hernandez doesn’t want people living along the north side of the Highway 120 Bypass to have to wear sunglasses when looking out their rear windows at night should an electronic message sign go in across the freeway for the premium outlet malls.
It is a much different attitude than 10 years ago when an investment firm pushed - and received - permission to put in a high-tech electronic message board on one of the Spreckels Park signs along Highway 99. After it was in place a number of residents in the El Rancho Mobile Home Park directly across the freeway complained they light came into the homes even with drapes drawn.
The council overall this time is concerned that the public might not have any say in the matter should a business propose such a sign under language in the suggested ordinance drafted by staff.
The state required 300-foot notifications for development issues would be ineffective in such a matter as such signs would have a farther reaching impact. Although no one has formerly complained to the city about the existing Bass Pro Shops signs which exceed what the city usually allows due to it being along a highway corridor, it is clear the visual impacts on Bass Pro Shops extend well beyond 300 feet from it as you go north of the 120 Bypass.
There are only a few places such signs could go in Manteca including south of the Highway 120 Bypass between Union Road and a point east of Main Street, the southern quadrants of the 120 Bypass and Airport Way interchange, along the 120 Bypass near the future McKinley Avenue interchange, the southwest corner of the Highway 99 and 120 Bypass interchange, the area that is now vacant between Highway 99 and the Northgate Drive/Main Street intersection, as well as on the northwest corner of the Lathrop Road and Highway 99 interchange.
Residents speaking at a previous council meeting said they were concerned staff would approve signs that most nearby residents object to having put in place,
Some of the rules that staff proposed for such signs include:
•They couldn’t exceed a height or a sign area that would be a nuisance to neighboring properties or motorists.
•They must be constructed of quality materials and of similar design and architecture as the regional recreation/hospitality center it is advertising.
•The hours of operation and illumination as well as changing images on the electronic display will not create a nuisance to surrounding uses, the vicinity, or traffic.
•The sign shall aid in the generation of sales tax revenue and/or promote the City of Manteca in a positive manner.
•The sign will be maintained in such a manner that the screen is fully functioning at all times. If the screen does develop areas with no or improper illumination that affect the overall quality of the images, the screen shall be turned off until necessary repairs have been made. The city’s Community Development Director has the authority to make such a determination.
Electronic message sign illumination and message rotation would have to comply with Caltrans safety standards as well. Caltrans bans message changes more frequent than every 10 seconds.
