One (1) permanent freestanding sign greater than twenty (20) square feet, and otherwise permitted by these regulations, is permitted to use a portion of such sign as an Electronic Message Center (EMC) in compliance with the following:
(a) The EMC shall not to exceed sixty-seven (67%) percent of the total sign face area of a freestanding sign or thirty-two (32) square feet whichever is less.
(b) The EMC portion of the sign shall be set off from the edge of the sign by a minimum four (4) inch border.
(c) A sign with an EMC shall be a minimum of fifty (50) feet from a residential zoning district provided that the Planning and Zoning Commission may require reasonable alternative locations which they determine will minimize the impact of the EMC on adjacent property.
(d) The interval of change of any messages shall occur no less than once every eight (8) seconds; the Planning Commission may consider a less frequent interval provided that such greater interval should not be so limited that it negates the purpose of the EMC which is to view, generally, at least two messages during a single pass (viewing time) of the motorist.
(e) The image of the EMC shall change instantaneously and animation, movement, or continuous scrolling of messages is prohibited.
(f) The illumination of the EMC shall:
(1) Be programmed or set in a manner such that the display will turn dark and emit no light in case of a malfunction.
(2) Be equipped with photosensitive equipment that is programmed to automatically adjust the brightness and contrast of the sign in direct relation to the ambient outdoor illumination.
(3) Have maximum brightness levels that shall not exceed five-thousand (5,000) nits when measured from the sign's face at its maximum brightness, during daylight hours, and one-hundred-fifty (150) nits when measured from the sign's face at its maximum brightness between dusk and dawn.
To minimize brightness the Planning Commission may further control the colors - particularly the color that dominates the background area of the EMC or its message - and may limit the nighttime hours that the EMC is illuminated to assure the brightness of the sign is in line with other illuminated signs that may be in the vicinity and/or minimize impact on nearby residential property. (Ord. 2016-24. Passed 2-8-17.)