In Winnipeg, digital signs and billboards almost always get the green light

Digital signs and billboards are proliferating in Winnipeg because planners' opinionsare routinely ignored, according to a review of the regulations fortheeye-catching advertisements.

In December 2012, the City of Winnipeg approved a set of standards governing the size, placement and operation of digital signs and billboards. A report published by the city on Friday concludes those regulations are adequate but are not being enforced.

According to the report, which comes before council's property committee on Tuesday, the Board of Adjustmentthe city body that approves digitalsignsand billboardsroutinely ignores recommendations made by city planners about the signs.

Since the regulations were brought in, the Board of Adjustment has approved the vast majority of the digital signs and billboards thatplanners told the board toreject. On the flip side, every single application that earned the blessing of city planners wound up getting approved by the Board of Adjustment.

As a result, billboards are continuing to proliferate in Winnipeg in the same manner as they did before regulations were brought in to control them, chief planner Braden Smith writes in the report to council's property committee.

They're also making major city streets look ugly and even unsafe, he adds.

"Due to the frequency at which billboards are being approved and erected, coupled with their high-visibility locations, they continue to have a detrimental impact on the quality of the city's prominent corridors as well as traffic safety," Smith writes.

The regulations were brought in after extensive consultations, writes Smith, who notes Winnipeg is far more permissive than other cities when it comes to digital signs. Ottawa doesn't allow them at all, while Toronto restricts them to specific geographic areas.

The regulations were intended to guard against too many signs overall, signs that are too close to each other or residential areas and signs that distract drivers or diminish the quality of pedestrian areas, Smith writes.

Nonetheless, his report does not recommend council take any course of action.River Heights-Fort Garry Coun. John Orlikow, however, said he's sufficiently annoyed to consider taking away the Board of Adjustment's power to approve digital signs and billboards.

"It's troublingwhen we go to such great lengthsto put a policy together abouthow we want electronic signs to go in this city.They're quite clear. To have a group overturn our policies on such a regular basis, it'stroubling," said Orlikow, who chairs council's property committee.

"The city has to ask ourselvesand we are in that processis this the right place to be putting sign applicationsthrough the Boardof Adjustment."

One option would be to have council's community committees, which are made up of elected officials, handle sign applications. The Board of Adjustment is comprised of council appointees.

The other option would be to allow city planners to approve the applications themselves.

Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt, who moved a motion last year to rein in sign approvals, said he supports Orlikow'ssuggestions.

Billboard applications since December 2012: 50

Billboard applications recommended by city planners: 25

Billboard applications rejected by city planners: 25

Billboard applications ultimately approved by the Board of Adjustment: 41.

Digital-sign applications since December 2012: 32

Digital-signapplications recommended by city planners: 19

Digital-signapplications rejectedby city planners: 13

Digital-signapplications ultimately approved by the Board of Adjustment: 30

Source: City of Winnipeg