Changing the North Little Rock Community Center's message board by hand, a letter at a time, is so tedious that the latest message on the sign hasn't been replaced in about three months, city Parks and Recreation Director Terry Hartwick said last week.
By week's end, more than the message on the sign will have changed.
An electronic message sign with full-color, changeable copy on two sides operated by remote control will be installed Tuesday or Wednesday, Hartwick said. The Parks Department received the North Little Rock City Council's approval Tuesday for a waiver to allow the sign.
The new sign, including some new electric connections, will cost about $40,000, after bids were obtained, Hartwick said. It will be at the northeast corner of Pershing Boulevard and Willow Street.
Besides having messages for community center events and parks programs, the sign can be updated instantly for emergency messages or city announcements, such as when the center is available as a cooling or warming center during extreme hot and cold weather. The city Parks and Recreation administrative offices are located in the community center, 2700 Willow St.
The adjacent Military Heights neighborhood also will be able to use the sign to let residents know about community meetings and news, Hartwick said. Parks department staff members will be able to control the sign's messages from a main terminal and from a remote location, according to the legislation approved by the council.
"This is an informational sign as much as anything," Hartwick said.
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The City Council has often discussed advantages and disadvantages of electronic message signs when businesses or churches have applied for them in the past few years to draw more attention to sales or services. In 2010, the council approved an ordinance to restrict such signs to specified districts within the city.
The Parks and Recreation sign isn't within an established district under the sign ordinance, leading to the necessary request for a waiver of the city's Zoning Ordinance requirement.
"What you're doing is sidestepping your own rules, but you have the power to do that," City Attorney Jason Carter told council members before their vote. "You can waive your own rules."
Alderman Murry Witcher has been a steadfast opponent to such signs being in the city and spoke against allowing the new community center sign. In the 7-1 vote, Witcher was the lone vote against the waiver.
"Generally I have issues with these types of signs," Witcher said. "If we open the door, we'll have a flood of people wanting those types of signs. Is that what we want?"
Electronic signs that feature bright, rapidly changing messages have raised concerns when near residential neighborhoods where the light from the signs could disturb residents. North Little Rock already regulates the size and brightness level of electronic signs.
The electronic sign at the community center will have a screen size of 5 feet by 8 feet.
There also have been concerns of the signs being a distraction to motorists. Supporters have argued that the ability to rapidly change advertisements or announcements is important to businesses and to the community.
Others in city government spoke for updating the community center's sign.
"The Military Heights folks are fine with it," Alderman Debi Ross said. "It's better than what we have now."
Mayor Joe Smith offered praise for the city's Parks Department along with his support for the new sign.
"We have a wonderful parks system," Smith said. "This gives us an opportunity to promote it."
Metro on 01/02/2017