Tomasina Werner sent a note to me about a meeting Tuesday, April 4, at Lake Forest with city council members to include an open discussion concerning the direction of Forest Lake. I would like to again bring up the Sign Ordinance Committee proposals that  had been worked on for many months and sent onto the Planning Commission.

To review, that committee is represented by 3 city council persons,  citizens, and business interests [owners, managers].  The committee  received a mandate to visit certain sections of the Sign Ordinances in  Daphne; the committee did as asked, slightly changing and in a couple of  cases actually adding new sections.  What I consider the 'no brainers' are  the pump toppers, directional signs in developments to community centers,  non-advertising entry directionals into businesses [example McDonald's  entry/exit directionals], and interior street signs within a shopping  center [example the new interior street at Jubilee Square].  The  interstate corridor signs were not included in the 'no-brainers' because  that compromise was an example of the decision making process in action.  That body of work was taken to the Planning Commission, January 26, and  before even being studied [they received the proposed revisions the day of  the meeting; the committee members had to ask for a copy of the proposed  revisions], Mayor Small and Larry Chason stated that they wanted  everything sent back to the Sign Committee as not enough input from the  public had been afforded.

 The Sign Committee met again.  The only new input was by Troy Tatum of  LAMAR outdoor advertising; he made a digital billboard presentation.  Mr.  Chason attended, said nothing, and left before the meeting was completed.  Lisa Harris, Scenic Alabama, attended this meeting, explaining why digitals and other billboards are problematic.  Daphne has quite recently won a court case against LAMAR for the reconstruction of the Taco Bell billboard near Alligator Alley between US 98 and N. Main St.  After listening to the LAMAR presentation and asking pertinent questions and listening to the Scenic Alabama presentation, the decision was made to not  allow digital billboards.  Possibly in a few years the issue could be  revisited.

The proposed sign ordinances were not heard at the February 23 Planning  Commission meeting. They were presented at the very end of the March 30 meeting but with a few additions that none on the Sign Committee had been alerted to.  Larry Chason stated that he joted down a few ideas about digital billboards; Tim Fleming, the PC attorney, wrote those 'jots' into legal wording and when the proposed changes were presented, allowing digital billboards was included.  Digital billboards up to 385 square feet surface.  The interstate corridor signs are limited to 250 square feet.  Mr. Chason's digital signs are recommended to flash every 6 seconds; the electronic signs [example Daphne Middle School] must be displayed no less than 20 seconds so they won't appear to 'flash'.

Have any of you seen the LAMAR digital sign on the BP station's property  at 181 and 64?  During the day, not much impact.  At night, very  illuminated.  A comment by one of the customers at Allegri's was that at  night it is like daylight at that corner now.  Mr. Chason suggests that  300 feet would be the closest that a digital should be to a residential  area.

This is where Lake Forest residents on the north side could be severely  affected.  With the commercial strip between US90 [plans to widen US90 have been stated] and Interstate 10 being sold, land cleared, and construction begun, that stretch would be a prime spot for this huge digitals.  Mr. Chason is not just limiting the digitals to billboard type signs around the city but to the signs in front of businesses.  Thus 'daylight' could affect the northern parts of Lake Forest.

Another item mentioned in the Sunday Baldwin Register article is that Mr.  Chason also wants the city's tree ordinance revisited.  We are already  losing the crepe myrtle's along US98 due to the 'road hazards' posed by a  tree with a 4" base; that is a state policy that is somewhat on hold due  to Vestivia Hills and a few other municipality's protests.  Mr. Chason  would like to see the trees that periodically line US 98 to be clear cut or at least reduced greatly in number.  Daphne, Scenic Alabama, and motorists in general just achieved one scenic victory in Aronov's Eastern Shore Park: the state mandated that the pines that were thinned out and  'pruned up' as opposed to being clear cut will remain.  The car dealerships will be easily seen from the interstate and will be thought of favorably as saving the trees.  This, of course, in stark contrast to the strip at the northeast quandrant of I-10 and AL 181 where motorists are treated to no landscaping [at 70 mph with traffic who can see the limited landscaping], dumpsters, and the backs of the buildings behind PetSmart, Michael's, Ross, Cracler Barrel, etc.

To close, I hope that even though your meeting with the council members is discuss Lake Forest, that you will take this 1:1 time you have with them to consider your situation as not only residents of Lake Forest but of the City of Daphne as well.  I know that in chatting with you, you definitely  have strong feelings about a lot of issues including those I have just mentioned.

Last, if any of you can attend the Planning Commission meeting Friday, April 7, at 3 PM at City Hall in the council chambers, please do so.  If you do not want to speak at the podium, try to get there a little early and let the members know where you stand on the issues.

 See some of you Friday morning.