Your design superpowers are a force for good
Solar and wind powered billboards- and coincidently a meeting for T.O's new Billboard By-laws this upcoming monday...
I was just watching the daily planet tonight on the discovery channel and they featured a company in new york called Ricoh who has put up a billboard in times square that is powered by wind and solar... I am amazed that not more companies like patterson and the other companies do not catch on to this. It is a perfect application for this type of power.. if it goes out due to no wind or sun.. who cares? Think about how many lite billboards are in and around toronto.. and if each one of them emits 10 000 C02's a year to keep it lite?(I forget the exact amount of carbons I just heard but i think it was one lite sign is 10 000 a year... and equivalent to powers 6 houses.) then why is no alternatives suggested??
Coincidentally, I did a quick google search and looks like the Toronto Planning and management committee are holding a by law meeting to discuss Toronto Billboards... But it looks like they are meeting to discuss illegal billboards and higher fines, tougher enforcements and special provisions - Are they not missing something???? hmm...
In the article I found (outlined below) they give a email address to email this committee suggestions for mondays meeting -pgmc@toronto(.)ca you will note in there outline the discuss lcd lights as being too flashy and encouraging the use of environmental material...they encourage? Sounds weak... we have 95 members here.. if we all sent an email about the "bigger issues they are missing" maybe it will be heard....
Here is a brief description of the report I found:
Planning and Gowth Management Committee to Consider Interim Report on Billboard By-Law on December 8 Friday, November 28th, 2008 ::: City Hall: New By-Law
On Monday December 8, the Planning and Growth Management Committee will be considering submissions from members of the public regarding billboards and Toronto’s new signs by-law.
The new signs by-law is designed to deal with the problem of illegal billboards - higher fines, tougher enforcement, special provisions taking into account the new powers granted to the City in the City of Toronto Act. It’s also designed to repeal and re-write the laws about where billboards in Toronto can be placed legally. One thing it can’t do is outlaw legally existing signs - those are protected by provincial legislation.
Thus far, City Staff have been excellent in terms of listening to the public. The City hired a team outside experts to write the law, along with an outside solicitor to give them advice on freedom of expression matters. The interim staff report that will be presented to the Committee on December 8 is also pretty good.
<<SEE MY ATTACHED FILE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO VIEW THE REPORT >>
HERE IS A SUMMARY/OPINION ON THE REPORT
The report is weak on details, and we know you’re not supposed to read too much into these things, but think we can make some safe assumptions about what staff are thinking. Here are the highlights:
* The report spends a lot of time talking about video screens. We have serious concerns about non-animated LCD video screens (screens displaying consecutively flashing images) and are strongly opposed to allowing these signs as-of-right. Los Angeles tried this and it was a disaster, with street protests against the non-animated video screens. The good news is that the report suggests taking a “cautious approach to where digital video and animated signs are permitted and how they operate.”
* Staff are considering delegating third party sign variances to Planning and Growth Management Committee because the variances “currently consume an inappropriate amount of Council time” and are “too political.” Perhaps that’s another way of saying, the ward councillor system doesn’t work for sign variances. Neither does the extra-legislative system of accepting community benefits. Staff are onto a good idea here. It’s probably a better idea to delegate the variances to a special meeting of the Committees of Adjustment, so politics are completely stripped out of the process. Meanwhile, the report suggests that first party variances should be delegated to staff with an appeal by the applicant to Community Council. Sounds reasonable to us.
* The report says that “The public wants swift and effective enforcement of City by-laws and effective penalties that will curb new infractions. The City’s current enforcement practices and attitudes are perceived as ineffective at getting results.” We’re surprised at the use of the word “attitudes” in the report. Seems like an admission of sorts, though it is mitigated by the word “perceived.”
* The licensing of “all sign companies and sign installers” is being considered. You can thank Councillor John Filion for that one.
* The report correctly notes that the purpose of separation of signs requirements is to control “sign proliferation.” This idea favors the use of a radius measure for minimum separation between billboards rather than a “same side of street” or “facing same traffic flow” measure. This is a good sign as radius is the only way to go.
* We are a little disappointed with the environmental section which states: “Require or encourage the use of recycled or re-used materials.” Encourage? Sounds weak. No mention of vinyl; also no mention of the enromous environmental impact of video screens.
If you would like to speak to P+GM on Monday, December 8, 2008 at 9:30AM please send an e-mail to Merle MacDonald, Committee Administrator at pgmc {at} toronto(.)ca. You can also submit a “written deputation” to the same address.
Oh, and the billboard tax will be considered by the Executive Committee in the new year.
Coincidentally, I did a quick google search and looks like the Toronto Planning and management committee are holding a by law meeting to discuss Toronto Billboards... But it looks like they are meeting to discuss illegal billboards and higher fines, tougher enforcements and special provisions - Are they not missing something???? hmm...
In the article I found (outlined below) they give a email address to email this committee suggestions for mondays meeting -pgmc@toronto(.)ca you will note in there outline the discuss lcd lights as being too flashy and encouraging the use of environmental material...they encourage? Sounds weak... we have 95 members here.. if we all sent an email about the "bigger issues they are missing" maybe it will be heard....
Here is a brief description of the report I found:
Planning and Gowth Management Committee to Consider Interim Report on Billboard By-Law on December 8 Friday, November 28th, 2008 ::: City Hall: New By-Law
On Monday December 8, the Planning and Growth Management Committee will be considering submissions from members of the public regarding billboards and Toronto’s new signs by-law.
The new signs by-law is designed to deal with the problem of illegal billboards - higher fines, tougher enforcement, special provisions taking into account the new powers granted to the City in the City of Toronto Act. It’s also designed to repeal and re-write the laws about where billboards in Toronto can be placed legally. One thing it can’t do is outlaw legally existing signs - those are protected by provincial legislation.
Thus far, City Staff have been excellent in terms of listening to the public. The City hired a team outside experts to write the law, along with an outside solicitor to give them advice on freedom of expression matters. The interim staff report that will be presented to the Committee on December 8 is also pretty good.
<<SEE MY ATTACHED FILE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO VIEW THE REPORT >>
HERE IS A SUMMARY/OPINION ON THE REPORT
The report is weak on details, and we know you’re not supposed to read too much into these things, but think we can make some safe assumptions about what staff are thinking. Here are the highlights:
* The report spends a lot of time talking about video screens. We have serious concerns about non-animated LCD video screens (screens displaying consecutively flashing images) and are strongly opposed to allowing these signs as-of-right. Los Angeles tried this and it was a disaster, with street protests against the non-animated video screens. The good news is that the report suggests taking a “cautious approach to where digital video and animated signs are permitted and how they operate.”
* Staff are considering delegating third party sign variances to Planning and Growth Management Committee because the variances “currently consume an inappropriate amount of Council time” and are “too political.” Perhaps that’s another way of saying, the ward councillor system doesn’t work for sign variances. Neither does the extra-legislative system of accepting community benefits. Staff are onto a good idea here. It’s probably a better idea to delegate the variances to a special meeting of the Committees of Adjustment, so politics are completely stripped out of the process. Meanwhile, the report suggests that first party variances should be delegated to staff with an appeal by the applicant to Community Council. Sounds reasonable to us.
* The report says that “The public wants swift and effective enforcement of City by-laws and effective penalties that will curb new infractions. The City’s current enforcement practices and attitudes are perceived as ineffective at getting results.” We’re surprised at the use of the word “attitudes” in the report. Seems like an admission of sorts, though it is mitigated by the word “perceived.”
* The licensing of “all sign companies and sign installers” is being considered. You can thank Councillor John Filion for that one.
* The report correctly notes that the purpose of separation of signs requirements is to control “sign proliferation.” This idea favors the use of a radius measure for minimum separation between billboards rather than a “same side of street” or “facing same traffic flow” measure. This is a good sign as radius is the only way to go.
* We are a little disappointed with the environmental section which states: “Require or encourage the use of recycled or re-used materials.” Encourage? Sounds weak. No mention of vinyl; also no mention of the enromous environmental impact of video screens.
If you would like to speak to P+GM on Monday, December 8, 2008 at 9:30AM please send an e-mail to Merle MacDonald, Committee Administrator at pgmc {at} toronto(.)ca. You can also submit a “written deputation” to the same address.
Oh, and the billboard tax will be considered by the Executive Committee in the new year.
- Attachments:
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backgroundfile-17603.pdf, 22 KB
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