Tri-Valley Residents Up in Arms over Proposed Dublin Hyundai Mega Sign
Adjacent to westbound I-580 just before the Hopyard Road exit, the Dublin Hyundai dealership is an important tenant at the Scarlett Court commercial district. To welcome Dublin Hyundai to the Scarlett Court site, the City of Dublin agreed to pay for up to $670K in tenant improvement costs as part of the City’s Sales Tax Reimbursement Program. Dublin Hyundai is now looking to install a two-sided 450-square-foot LED billboard similar in size and design to the LED billboard next to the Oakland Coliseum along I-880 and the digital billboards ensconced throughout the Sacramento area. Dublin Economic Development Director Linda Maurer confirmed that none of the $670K in reimbursement credit would go toward the LED billboard.
Dublin Hyundai’s proposal has drawn the ire of Tri-Valley residents who are concerned about the negative impact of the super-sized sign. Many are worried about the precedent the 450-square-foot LED billboard will set if approved by Dublin’s Planning Commission. The Planning Commission is expected to hear Dublin Hyundai’s proposal at its next meeting on Tuesday, April 12th. “Stop this now or live among many from now on…Please let others in our region know of this serious threat to their environment…Brighter than the sun during the day and brighter than the moon at night, this bill board, the size of a semi truck rising 60 feet into the air will light up the entire TriValley every minute of every day,” wrote one local resident on Facebook.
Not all Dublin residents see Dublin Hyundai’s proposed 450-square-foot LED sign as an abomination. In the short term, the proposed sign may help to generate more car sales for Dublin Hyundai. The increased sales would in turn provide more tax revenue for the City of Dublin. According to one City Hall official, “you have to sell 15,000 cups of coffee to generate the amount of sales tax revenue that you can get from selling just one car.”
The economic benefit that Dublin Hyundai could reap from its mega LED billboard would be short-lived because the precedent set by this one sign would lead to a proliferation of colossal LED billboards along the I-580 corridor, as the car dealerships try to outdo one another with bigger, brighter, and flashier signs.
Former Dublin Mayor turned lobbyist Guy Houston of the California Gold Advocacy Group will be representing Dublin Hyundai as the auto dealership seeks Planning Commission approval for its giant LED billboard sign on Tuesday, April 12th at 7PM in the City Council Chambers at 100 Civic Plaza. Some residents may wonder why Dublin Hyundai would need to hire a lobbyist to get its 450-square-foot sign approved if the sign were truly in the best interests of residents. Houston, now a resident in Contra Costa County, will not get to see the LED billboard as part of his daily commute.
Residents and business owners can send their opinions about the proposed sign to Dublin’s Planning Manager Jeff Baker at Jeff.Baker@dublin.ca.gov. Dublin residents and business owners can also share their thoughts in-person at the April 12th Planning Commission meeting.
5:34 AM on April 11th, 2011
Ugh those signs are super tacky. NOT the image we want for Dublin. I’ll be sending an email to Jeff since I can’t make the city council meeting.
9:33 AM on April 11th, 2011
From what I know from having a business before in Pleasanton and Liveremore and now in Dublin, Dublin has the toughest sign restrictions. In addition they are very tough on businesses that want to do additional promotion such as having A-Frame Signs, banners, and sign wavers/twirlers (that’s why you’ll notice some sign wavers on the Pleasanton side of the Freeway for a Dublin business. If they approve this, does this now mean that every business can have some sort of LED signage if they want? If that’s the case I would love to talk to the Outback Steakhouse about putting an LED sign on their monument that you can see from the freeway. Don’t worry this is just a joke as there is no way I could afford it, but you get the picture. Also I don’t understand how they can say that none of the $670k in reimbursement cost would be going to the sign. It’s just a shell game, if the city is saving them $670k in improvements than Hyundai has that much more money to pay for the sign.
10:49 AM on April 13th, 2011
Having a business in Dublin I agree. Dublin has the toughest sign restrictions of any city. Put out an A frame and you get a letter from Dean! Now they allow this. It’s all about the money!
11:53 AM on April 13th, 2011
I disagree. If Dublin had the toughest sign restrictions in the Tri-Valley, then Dublin would also have the most attractive and tasteful signs. That is clearly not the case. In Dublin I see nothing but ugly backlit plastic box signs, instead of articulated lettering that gives dimension to the sign. I see excessive signage on businesses also. In some neighboring cities they will not allow you to place accessory language on your building (meaning, if you have something like a Safeway, you cannot also put signage that says things like “groceries”, “pharmacy”, etc.). I see accessory wording like this all over Dublin, and it makes building exteriors look too busy and tacky. Also, restrictions on A-frame signs are nothing new. Most cities around here will not allow you have them, and code enforcement will promptly take them down – this is nothing unique to Dublin. I respectfully disagree, and instead think that Dublin should do more to regulate the design, quality, and appropriateness of signage in Dublin.
- from someone who cares more about the attractiveness of my community than selling a few extra widgets than my competitor
10:56 AM on April 28th, 2011
I am a sign-guy. I earn my living selling signs.
I agree that not looking tacky is important when building or designing a sign. I don’t, however, agree that you can just dismiss putting auxiliary wording on signs as tacky and cluttered. I have seen signs made that are garbage only with the business name, and have seen signs that are gorgeous with auxiliary words or phrases on them.
The problem with having a body of people that approve a signs’ design is that it is (to me) like a work of art. It is something that is subjective. I have submitted many designs to planning commissions over the years and have them come back with, “I don’t like it.” OK, great. You don’t like it, but my client does. I made the design and it looks great to me, so we are 2 against one now. To have someone deny a sign because they don’t like it is neither fair nor equitable.
People that are ‘offended’ by a sign, especially those that are in a position to approve or deny its very existence need to take a step back and examine the situation. It is in the best interest of the business to have a well designed sign that draws attention to their store, shop, or place of business. I like Picasso, but you may hate him. Does that mean I should not be able to put up a Picasso in an art gallery? And yes, it is the same exact thing, businesses and the physical business community are the art gallery and signs the art in them. If you don’t like a sign, don’t look at it, but don’t deny me the right to judge for myself.
I am a big fan of old signs. The sign at Elliot’s in Danville is really neat. I would like to make a similar one for the Roundup Saloon in Lafayette. It will NEVER fly. Why? Because someONE in a position of power has deemed it offensive before they have ever seen a proposal, just by virtue of how it is made.
I think that as long as the sign meets the California BUILDING code, and meets zoning (business and commercial zones should be allowed to have signs), they should have the right to whatever sign they want and can afford. To me dismissing a sign because of its appearance is like saying, “Volkswagens are ugly. They should not be allowed to operate on a public road.”
1:31 PM on April 13th, 2011
What about the giant freeway sign monoliths for Hacienda Crossings, and the soon to come Target center? It seems like the Dublin Planning Department is more sign pushover than sign police.
9:53 AM on April 11th, 2011
This is absolutely one of the WORST things for Dublin. Do we really want to start to look like the 880 corridor? Please folks, wake up!!! There is no need for garish billboards such as these in our area… Please fight it.
11:24 AM on April 11th, 2011
I am in total agreement in bringing this sign to that location. With the 580/680 interchange running so smoothly right now, with no accidents, we really need people to be distracted with a huge-ass sign like this….
11:25 AM on April 11th, 2011
Well, so much for the nice transit-village area Dublin supposedly wants to promote in that area! “Hey, come live in Dublin, the land where the sun never sets!”
1:36 PM on April 11th, 2011
“Hey, come live in Dublin, the land where the sun never sets!”
LMAO.
We’ve got a prison, Hooters, lots of wind, and big ass signs. Come stay awhile!
1:48 PM on April 11th, 2011
It will fit right in with BART’s spectacular Garage Mahal!
1:45 PM on April 11th, 2011
I would not mind if it is a porche or mercedez sign. But it is Hyundai. It is going to demote the image of dublin. Building cheap car and copying style for other brands. Hyundai is well known of that.
4:02 PM on April 11th, 2011
Unless you are joking, you are missing the point…Mercedes or Hyundai doesn’t make any difference…
3:23 PM on April 11th, 2011
This is really too bad. I like that the Tri Valley doesn’t have a commercial feel like Oakland etc.
11:32 AM on April 12th, 2011
If I want Las Vegas I will book a trip there. I don’t want to be blinded with light pollution.
2:21 PM on April 12th, 2011
I emailed Jeff above and he wrote back with a nice response and said my letter would be included to the planning commission. Go to the meeting or contact Jeff if you can’t make it!
12:58 PM on April 13th, 2011
The only thing that comes to mind is Tacky with a capital “T”. Is the mayor of our city selling it’s soul for the almighty dollar? I hope not.
9:02 AM on April 14th, 2011
Dublin planners say no to dealership’s big readerboard…link below
We can update the sign and keep it small…i see no reason why we need an extra large readerboard plastered on car windshield as they drive by…
http://www.insidebayarea.com/dublin/ci_17837423
9:58 AM on April 14th, 2011
Hi Anonymous,
The battle has only just begun. According to the last sentence in the article you cited, former-mayor-turned-lobbyist Guy Houston said “an appeal of the commission’s decision to the Dublin City Council is likely.”
10:15 AM on April 28th, 2011
Right off the top- I earn my living selling signs and am a former small business owner.
That being said, they have zoning laws for a reason. The area that has these signs- right along the freeway- is a commercial area, not a residential one. I can see how some residents would be upset having these in an area close to a residential zone. But seriously, the location where this is going up is only going to benefit the community.
I don’t think this is going to present a dangerous precedent. If you take a look at all of the other large pylon signs along that stretch of highway, this is just one more sign in an ocean of signs.
These signs don’t always have to look cheesy. The company I work for, Arrow Sign Company, Oakland, CA has made many gorgeous signs that can alleviate the stark plain billboard look and add some quality architecture to the area.
Another item that didn’t seem to be discussed was hours of operation. Maybe turn the sign off when the dealership closes.
I saw another comment about the a-frame signs and other promotional signs and the restrictions thereof. That just drives me insane. I am not sure of the exact letter of the Dublin law, but most of the smaller towns in the area have very strict laws regarding a-frames and promotional signage. While most codes in these smaller towns require a permit, they are usually free of charge. The problem is that most merchants are limited to around 20 calendar days of promotion PER YEAR. Thats CALENDAR days, not working days. So mom and pop are trying to earn a living at their Diner and are only allowed to advertise a special for a half an hour per week.
In Walnut Creek, they have the Downtown Business District. A Recommendation I would have is to start a similar group in Dublin, pool your money and Hire Mr. Houston to lobby on behalf of said group for relaxed promotional signage laws.