Scenic Knoxville is a citizen action group whose mission is to help preserve and protect the scenic beauty surrounding our city. More information about our mission and other goals can be found on our website, www.scenicknoxville.org [1]. Currently, we are focused on City Council’s consideration of digital billboards. City Council is having a workshop tonight, May 1st, at 5:00 pm, and the issue may be up for vote as soon as Tuesday, May 6. In 2001, Knoxville enacted a ban on billboard construction at new locations within the City. In 2006, one of the billboard companies attempted to convert two traditional billboards to digital. This action was halted in court with an injunction filed by the City, and the City decided to revisit the billboard ordinance and decide whether or not digital billboards should be allowed. Scenic Knoxville believes that a decision to allow digital billboards in the City will have a far-reaching negative impact on the visual quality of our city and, to our knowledge, offers no benefit to the community. CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO KNOW IF CITIZENS WANT DIGITAL BILLBOARDS IN KNOXVILLE Please act today. Citizen input is the key element to influence our Council members. Thank you for your help. Listed below is Scenic Knoxville's position statement on digital billboards. You can also visit www.stopknoxvilleblight.org [2] for more information. POSITION STATEMENT Scenic Knoxville supports the existing City ordinance that bans the construction of new billboards and opposes converting any existing billboards with digital technology because: 1. Digital billboards detract from the scenic beauty of Knoxville. - Knoxville is justifiably proud of its skyline and natural scenic beauty; however, a policy change allowing digital billboards in the City would encourage the proliferation of structures that deliberately distract a viewer’s attention from the cityscape and degrade the visual landscape. - By design, digital billboards are attention-grabbing structures, basically amounting to large LED screens hovering in the air. Because of their inherent brightness, they become the dominant visual element in any landscape or cityscape where located. Digital billboards are often visible on the horizon long before their message is even readable, so they have a greater impact on the landscape than traditional billboards. - As a gateway to the Smokies, thousands of tourists pass through Knoxville and gain an impression of the City mostly from the interstate. The scenic natural assets of our region afford us an opportunity to encourage tourism and visitors and to enhance our reputation as a great place to live and work. To retain the sense of place that is uniquely Knoxville, we must protect the overall visual landscape. Do we want to emphasize advertising messages through the proliferation of digital billboards, or do we want visitors to remark on the abundance of Knoxville’s scenic natural beauty and the unique configuration of our downtown skyline? 2. Digital billboards consume significantly more energy than traditional billboards. - Knoxville has made a commitment to implement greener policies and practices in the City. A policy change to allow digital billboards would not be consistent with those initiatives and would enlarge our carbon footprint without offering commensurate benefit to citizens. 3. Digital billboards raise safety issues in a way that traditional billboards do not. - Because of the nature of the constantly changing images, which cause drivers to glance at them inadvertently and instinctually, digital billboards raise safety concerns. The constantly changing images cause many motorists to look at the signs long enough to see what comes up next in the rotation, adding yet another distraction from the road ahead and the drivers around them. - A 2006 National Highway Transportation study concluded that anything that distracts a driver for more than two seconds significantly increases the chance of accidents. According to the billboard industry itself, the signs require at least five seconds for viewers to comprehend the message. 4. Many other communities have banned digital billboards or are attempting to prevent their proliferation. - Once digital billboards are in place, it will be extremely difficult to remove them because of the huge costs of compensating billboard companies and significant legal considerations. Many communities across the US are experiencing this problem right now and are fighting to get them removed or banned. 5. The billboard companies’ arguments in favor of digital billboards do not stand up under scrutiny. - Argument: Digital billboards will eventually lead to fewer traditional billboards. - Counter: The proposed compromise that suggests that two traditional billboards could be removed for each permitted digital sign is very problematic because of state property rights laws, and may not be enforceable. - Argument: Digital billboards can be used for Amber Alerts and other public service messages. - Counter: The Knoxville Police Dept. has stated they do not need digitals for Amber Alerts or other messages. - Argument: Digital billboards offer an affordable method of advertising and provide valuable information to visitors and residents. - Counter: Less intrusive options such as the blue logo interstate signs (which are also owned by the outdoor advertising companies) are a more equal and more aesthetic way of providing information to motorists. - Argument: Digital billboards are more attractive than peeling, rotting, and unmaintained signs. - Counter: Billboards in poor repair are a violation of the City ordinance and sign owners can be cited for their failure to properly maintain them.