Though Cochrane won’t quite look like the Vegas Strip just yet, digital signage could be coming to a location near you.
Town of Cochrane administration presented amendments to a land use bylaw Jan. 12 that would permit the usage of digital signs in various locations around Cochrane, including Town Square (Safeway and Canadian Tire location), the Toyota and Dodge properties, the hotel area on Westside Dr., two spots on the Quarry site and Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre.
Cochrane senior planner Stephen Utz said they felt it was ‘premature’ to make a decision on whether digital signs would be permitted in the historic downtown area, and wanted to test the waters with the above mentioned locations first.
A survey conducted by the town revealed that 37 per cent of respondents supported the use of digital signs, 26 per cent were opposed and the remaining 37 per cent were in favour under certain circumstances.
Cochrane’s current bylaw prohibits the use of digital signs, but if the amendment were to be approved by council, digital signs would be permitted under the following conditions:
- Signs must be freestanding (mobile signs prohibited)
- Each approved location would only be allowed a single sign
- Sign could be between four and 5.5 square metres in size and a maximum height of four metres
- Minimum of 75 metres between digital signs
- Signs allowed to advertise within complex area; non-profit use also permitted
- Signs must be permanently fixed, full colour with a refresh rate of three or more seconds
- Must follow the Western Design rules
- Must be dimmed between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
- No scrolling, video or animation allowed; and must not conflict with traffic control device
- Town has option to develop digital sign anywhere in Cochrane
A public hearing on digital signs has been set for Jan. 26 at the Cochrane RancheHouse in council chambers at 6 p.m. Council gave the amendment first reading and will revisit the issue following the public hearing.
Councillors discussed whether it would be beneficial for them to receive more in depth information from local organizations ahead of budget deliberations that are applying for operational and community grants.
The matter had been raised during November’s budget deliberations, when grant funding is doled out, and was spurred by groups, like Cochrane Tourism, that receive grants from the town and also hand out their own grant funding to various organizations around town.
Mayor Ivan Brooker said he believed the current application process was as detailed as it could be, and that if individual councillors felt they needed more information about a certain group and their funding asks, they could take the initiative to meet with them to discuss the matter, something he and councillor Jeff Toews did with regards to Cochrane Tourism.
Brooker said the longer councillors hold their positions, the more knowledgeable they become on the various local groups and why they require the grant monies they request. He added that for each group to have to appear before council and provide detailed information would likely not be necessary.
Councillors Tara McFadden and Gaynor Levisky both suggested having organizations seeking larger operational grant funding to present before council, but those applying for smaller community grants to be exempt from having to speak to council. Councillor Ross Watson also wanted to see groups present to council and be encouraged to appear as a delegation at some point during the year.
Councillor Morgan Nagel tossed in the idea of setting up a committee that would meet with the various groups looking for grant funding, and a councillor would sit on the committee and report back to council.
“If a councillor has more questions they can take it upon themselves,” said Brooker. “If they don’t, then there’s no need for a committee.”
Council unanimously approved an amendment to redirect subdivision development approvals from the Cochrane Planning Commission (CPC) into the hands of council-appointed development officers, in accordance with the Municipal Government Act.
The measure still provides subdivision approval authority to the CPC when deemed appropriate.
