San Antonio City Council on Thursday voted 7-3 to amend the city’s sign code and allow a digital billboards pilot project in parts of San Antonio.
The decision comes after nearly three years of discussions among members of the council, city staff, other stakeholders and the Denver-based OutFront Media, which brought the concept to San Antonio in 2022.
With approval from council, 10 rotating and brightly lit signs not unlike those seen in New York City’s Times Square could be installed on structures in designated parts of San Antonio starting later this year.
The change to the ordinance brings a one-time funding of $1 million for public arts and an estimated $500,000 a year in revenue sharing for the city.
The two-year pilot project will allow the digital billboards in eight areas of the city:
- UTSA District
- Downtown West District
- Downtown East District
- Downtown South District
- Alamodome East District
- Port San Antonio
- Brooks
- Toyota Field
The Blue Star Arts District was initially considered, then later removed from the list at the request of stakeholders in the district.
The project will be guided by a set of requirements in the ordinance, which outlines certain criteria for the kind of content that appears on billboards and the length of time the signs will be operating.
The signs cannot be installed in places where they can be viewed from the San Antonio River Walk, according to the guidelines, and couldn’t go up on any building that is designated historic.
Specific locations will be approved through a permitting process, and all signage in historic districts would undergo review by the Historic and Design Review Commission and the city’s Office of Historic Preservation.
Of the 10 signs permitted in designated areas of the city, two will be on city property, and thus, must go through a request for proposal process. Those on private property will be installed and operated under contract with the building owners. The display size cannot exceed 25% of a building’s exterior.
During the pilot, which starts in September, 10% of each billboard’s ad revenue would go to the city, which will use the funds to support arts programs. The signs also could be used by the city 20% of the time for civic messages and to exhibit local art.
In addition to five stakeholder meetings during which the proposal was presented, the city has hosted four public input sessions and fielded a survey for community feedback on the proposed program.
“I was a member of the task force … for the sign code and when this was presented to the task force, it fell flat,” said Patti Zaiontz, a former president of the Conservation Society of San Antonio, which has opposed the signs.
At least seven people and representatives from the Conservation Society spoke in opposition to the proposal at the council meeting, objecting to how they felt the signage could detract from the historic charm of the city.
Kathleen Trenchard called it a Trojan horse. “What we have inherited here in San Antonio is a jewel,” she said. “Don’t let the carpetbaggers destroy it in the name of supporting the arts or anything else they can contract for our eyeballs.”
Proponents of the billboards point to their capacity to add light and increase public safety in some parts of town, and for providing a platform for the arts. Similar programs exist in Denver, Atlanta and West Hollywood, Calif.
Representing OutFront Media, David Ehrlich said the system will drive money into the arts.
“San Antonio is an amazing city — I’ve been coming down here for three years, and you do have incredible stories to tell,” he said. “This program, with the screens — yes, it will be screens — but there’s a significant contribution to art, and art always needs support from cities.”
District 4 Councilman Edward Mungia said he especially liked that the program would provide exposure and opportunity for high school artists from his district.
But District 9 Councilman John Courage said that while he supports the project, he thinks both the revenue and time sharing with the city should be increased by at least 5%.
District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran said stakeholders in her district support the sign code change, including Brooks, one of the designated areas. Viagran sits on the council’s planning and community development committee which considered the proposal at four different meetings since it was first proposed.
District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte suggested that the revenue from the signs could help the city continue to fund the arts during “tight budgetary times.”
“As we are carefully selecting the locations for these particular projects, and we’re going to be mindful of what advertising is going on the signs … I’m comfortable with the program,” Whyte said. “I do like the fact that it could free up some general fund money … and more dollars going into our infrastructure programs.”
Councilwomen Sukh Kaur (D1), Teri Castillo (D5) and Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) voted against the ordinance change and Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (D2) was not present.
Kaur said she planned to vote against it due to mixed feedback received in public meetings and the survey.
Castillo also said she was hesitant to support the pilot because of the public’s negative response, and suggested the city should be getting a larger share of the revenue while supporting the arts.
“I think it’s important to highlight that this is a superficial-appealing option,” she said. “The city of San Antonio and council could invest in the arts. We shouldn’t have to rely on this pilot program to provide the support that our arts community deserves.”
