NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT A proposal to allow an array of 20-foot billboards on the northern and eastern sides of the grain elevator near the Allowance Avenue overpass received approval a Wednesday's meeting of the municipal planning commission.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A plan to erect 10 billboards on two sides of a former grain elevator in central Medicine Hat was approved by the planning commission on Wednesday afternoon with planners and commission members stating that it’s a sign of modern times.
“I think it’s a great concept,” said planning commission chair, Coun. Brian Varga. “That building, this might just give it some life.”
A current proposal – to erect 10 signs, each measuring 10 feet wide and 20 feet high – on each of the honeycombed concrete silos facing the east and north sides of the long dormant facility – is the third in 16 years.
A new applicant, filed by local businessman Jay Johnson, would see one sign on each side be electronic, and required the commission to allow a variance. The site’s mixed-use land zone doesn’t permit such larger advertisement, and where they are allowed, only one per property is standard.
Planner Munir Baruwa told commission members that sign standards in the city are relaxing over time, and there is no concern with potential traffic problems.
“There are structural signs like this in large cities at these sorts of sites,” he said. “I believe it’s time to give it a try here … let’s see how we can move this forward.”
The members voted 5-0 in favour with recommended conditions that the applicant enter into a maintenance and access agreement with Canadian Pacific Railways, which owns land directly beneath the eastern side of the building, and keep the signs in good repair.
Johnson declined comment to the News, but said he is looking forward to advancing the plan.
The nearest residence is 200 metres away, on the continuation of Allowance Avenue, a distance at which planning staff believe LED signs will cause “minimal impact” on neighbouring properties.
Senior staff stated that no consultation had taken place, but all decisions are subject to appeal.
Signs were originally proposed for the facility that long ceased operations in 2004, but at that time were rejected as council ruled it did not meet community standards of the time.
The property was zoned as direct control, subject to council’s final authority in 2013 when the plan was revived by a private sign company following a general relaxation of sign restrictions in land-use bylaw.
That application for a single sign was approved, though the proposal was never advanced.
Commission vice-chair, Coun. Darren Hirsch, asked planning staff about traffic safety, and was told the city’s transportation planners considered signs would not be a distraction.
“It will be new for citizens, so there’s going to be a honeymoon period,” he said.
