Article 10 — ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL BILLBOARDS — Torrance Zoning Code

(Added by O-3939)

911.10.010 ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL BILLBOARDS.

a) The term “electronic/digital billboard” shall be defined here as any electronic billboard consisting of digital display such as an LED panel mounted adjacent to a freeway, at least 40' minimum above the nearest freeway lane and within 100 feet from the edge of the nearest freeway right of way should circumstances warrant.

b) The electronic/digital billboard shall be included as part of a development agreement, lease agreement or other agreement with the City or its related agencies. Such agreement shall contain performance standards, one-time fees, public benefits, and ongoing revenue provisions that allow the city or related agencies to undertake projects, programs, or other activities that improve the visual environment.

911.10.020 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.

a) Electronic/digital billboards shall be allowed only on City-owned property zoned C “Commercial” or M “Manufacturing”.

b) Minimum of half mile spacing between electronic/digital billboards shall be observed, except as may be approved in a development agreement.

c) Electronic/digital billboards shall be a minimum 200' from residential property lines.

d) Electronic/digital billboards shall be a maximum height of 80' with a 40' minimum above the nearest freeway lane.

e) No one face of a double-faced or V-shaped billboard shall exceed 1,000 square feet in area and shall include screen face and all decorative elements.

f) No electronic/digital billboard shall have more than two faces. A face shall be considered the display surface upon which an advertising message is displayed.

g) No advertising display may be placed that is so illuminated or contains a digital display that it interferes with the effectiveness of or obscures any official traffic sign, device, or signal or violates any applicable law; nor shall any advertising display include any digital display or be illuminated in a manner that includes flashing, intermittent, or moving lights as further prohibited by the provisions of the Business and Professions Code; nor shall any advertising display cause beams or rays of light to be directed at the traveled ways if the light is of an intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or to impair the vision of any driver, or to interfere with any driver’s operation of a motor vehicle.

h) No advertising display shall be placed or maintained in violation of the outdoor advertising act, Chapter 2 (commencing with section 5200) of Division 3 of the California Business and Professions Code, or any other applicable state, federal, or local law.

i) Unless otherwise specified in this section, the general sign requirements set forth in the Business and Professions Code shall apply to plans and materials for and to design, construction, street address numbers, identification and maintenance of outdoor advertising displays approved under this section.

j) All back or rear portions of single-faced and V-type billboards visible from a public right-of-way or other public or private property shall be screened. The screening shall cover all structural members of the sign, not including the pole supports, and shall additionally cover all electrical or electronic display equipment, and any associated antennas, cables, and other appurtenances.

k) The following restrictions also shall apply:

The duration of each message displayed shall be at least eight seconds;
No message shall move, flash, shimmer, glitter, or give the appearance of moving, flashing, shimmering or glittering;
There shall be a direct change from each message to the next, with no blank or dark interval in between, to avoid a flashing or blinking effect;
Display of any form of motion or apparent motion within the message, and any form of video, are prohibited;
The brightness of the display surface shall be limited as follows:

i. Dawn to dusk: unlimited;

ii. Dusk to dawn: the display surface shall not produce luminance in excess of 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light conditions, or the level recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) for the specific size and location of the billboard, whichever is less. Measurement of luminance shall be carried out in accordance with established scientific methods and industry standards, specifically IESNA TM-11-00, or a successive IESNA technical publication.

The display brightness shall be controlled by a photocell or light sensor that adjusts the brightness to the required dusk-to-dawn level based on ambient light conditions without the need for human input. Use of other brightness adjustment methods, such as timer- or calendar-based systems, shall only be used as a backup system;
The display shall be factory certified as capable of complying with the above brightness standards. Such certification shall be provided to the satisfaction of the Community Development Director;
The electronic/digital billboard owner shall provide to the City, upon request, certification by an independent contractor that the brightness levels of the electronic billboard are in compliance with the requirements of this Section;
All electronic/digital billboards shall be oriented, and adequately shielded if necessary, so as to prevent the trespass of light and glare upon any residential land uses, including those in mixed-use districts, as existed on the date of building permit issuance; and
All electronic/digital billboards shall be equipped with a control system that, in the event of a display or control malfunction, “freezes” the display on either a single, unchanging message, or a blank screen.

l) Minimum of 10% of ad space shall be dedicated to civic and non-profit advertisements.

m) When an advertising display is defaced with graffiti, the display owner shall remove the graffiti within 48-hours after telephonic notice by city.

n) Prior to issuance of a building permit for any billboard project subject to the requirements of this Chapter, the applicant shall provide the following:

The telephone number of a maintenance service, to be available 24-hours a day and an e-mail address, to be contacted in the event that a billboard becomes dilapidated or damaged, or malfunctions in the case of electronic billboards; and
Proof of lease demonstrating a right to install the billboard on the subject property.

o) All billboard structures shall be maintained in a neat, clean, and orderly condition. Any structure which is highly rusted, has peeling paint or sign copy, or in any other way appears unattractive or in disrepair shall be deemed in violation of this Chapter and shall be removed or repaired in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. Any structure which the City Engineer, Building Official or designee, identifies as an immediate threat to public safety may be removed by the City Engineer or Building Official, or his designee, without notice to the property owner and at the property owner’s expense. Mandatory refurbishment shall be performed every 25 years at cost to the owner.