Huntington Beach : Flashing Electronic Billboards Approved

Huntington Beach will allow flashing electronic billboards under a compromise adopted by the City Council.

The City Council decided earlier this week to allow 25-foot-tall electronic reader boards to display ads for large businesses along Beach Boulevard and the San Diego Freeway.

Roger Miller Honda on Beach Boulevard had asked the city to change its code to allow 35-foot-high electronic signs, but the Planning Commission rejected the request in August.

On appeal, the City Council overturned the commission’s decision and voted to allow smaller electronic signs with certain restrictions.

The signs can be up to 115 square feet, with just 90 square feet for the electronic part of the sign. The council also added a provision that the sign must be used 10% of the time to display community-oriented messages.

Businesses that want signs must get a permit from the Planning Commission, which must determine that a sign would not adversely affect people living in nearby residential areas, the council decided.

Having a sign will help attract customers to the dealership, said Al Parajeckas, vice president of Roger Miller Automotive Group. The dealership could have a sign up in four to six months if the city approval process goes smoothly, he said.