Background info

Purpose and Scope of Study

The purpose of the Downtown Kitchener Digital Sign Study is to evaluate the merits of allowing digital signs in Downtown Kitchener. Digital signs are currently not permitted in Downtown and there has been an increase in requests to allow these. This study will examine current by-law requirements for digital signs in Kitchener and beyond, explore trends in the digital sign industry, and gather feedback from the public and key Downtown Kitchener stakeholders. Criteria for appropriately implementing digital signs in an urban context will also be explored, including how negative impacts could be mitigated. At the study’s conclusion, the objective is to offer a recommendation to Kitchener City Council on the future of digital signs in Downtown Kitchener.

Need for a Definition of Digital Signs

The City’s Sign By-law was most recently revised in 2011. Currently, it does not have a definition for “Digital Sign”.

However, it does have a definition for “Automatic Changing Copy”, which would include a digital sign. This term means “copy or images on a sign, shown by any electronic means, and which may or may not change… automatic changing copy shall include but is not limited to a video screen, television screen, read-o-graph or projected image.”

The Sign By-law may need to be updated through this study to include references to and definitions of the most up-to-date digital sign technology.

What does the Kitchener Sign By-law currently allow?

In the City of Kitchener, digital signs with images (“Automatic Changing Copy”) are permitted on ground-supported signs and facia signs in some areas of the City such as industrial, commercial, and institutional properties. In the Downtown, digital signs are not permitted on any type of sign.

Where digital signs are permitted in Kitchener, there are additional requirements such as minimum distance to an intersection, minimum distance from a residential property, limits on the size of the screen proportional to the overall sign, requirements to have a built-in sensor that adjusts lighting levels based on outdoor conditions, and a minimum amount of time that an ‘image’ must be displayed before changing to the next one.