116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
In Cedar Rapids for each new digital billboard in, two regular billboards out
Jul. 10, 2013 8:00 am
The City Council on Tuesday approved a change to the city's sign ordinance that will require sign companies to remove two existing non-digital billboards for every new digital billboard they erect.
In addition, the face of any new digital billboard will need to be 500 feet from a residential area, church or park while non-digital billboards will continue to need only a 200-feet separation distance from residential areas, churches and parks. Digital billboards also will be required to hold an image in place for eight seconds before it changes and they also must feature dimmers for night use.
Smaller on-premise digital signs also will be required to use dimmers and those signs will not be able to feature full-motion video without a permit.
Earlier this year, the City Council capped the number of billboards in the city at the current number - about 80 - and required the removal of an existing billboard for every new non-digital billboard that is put up. The biggest billboards also will be limited to places on Interstate 380 and Highway 30 where the speed limit is above 55 mph.
With Tuesday's action, the council ended a six-month review of its sign ordinance and it will end what is left of a moratorium on the addition of new signs by the end of the month.
A digital billboard on Collins Road near Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids. (Kaitlyn Bernauer/Gazette)