January 4, 2010
Sent to City Planning:
Please consider the following comments on the Digital Billboard Project as well as the Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration on said project.
The McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association (MENA) recognizes the City's serious budget situation. However, we do not believe this is justification for imposing additional visual blight on our neighborhoods and on the community as a whole. While the proposed locations will not directly impact East Sacramento, we are already impacted by the ugly monstrosity erected by CSUS and the equally disturbing Cal Expo billboard just across the river.
The jury is far from in on whether digital billboards are a traffic hazard or not. However, most people driving by a a digital billboard would probably say it is a distraction and studies have shown that any distraction extending for more than two seconds can be a traffic hazard.
The Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration is inadequate and incomplete in that it does not consider, nor does it mitigate, the proposed project’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
The U.S. Green Building Council, Central Texas Chapter, determined that a standard digital billboard consumes 397,486 kWh/year. One digital billboard is responsible for 108.41 tons/year of carbon dioxide. The green house gas emissions from one digital billboard are equal to 49 traditional billboards or 13.39 homes. The proposed project would therefore have similar green house gas impacts to a 54 unit subdivision or 433.64 tons/year of carbon dioxide. This impact cannot be ignored, nor can it be considered insignificant. It must be mitigated.
If the City erects digital billboards on City property one can be assured that private property owners will want the same privilege. How does the City propose to deal with that situation?
MENA asks that the City look at other means of addressing the budget situation and not proceed with this ill advised proposal.