New, Larger Billboard Proposed

The city is contemplating replacing the Spreckels Highway 101 digital billboard with a new, taller board officials say will generate revenue for the cash-strapped city.

The current billboard, located at Commerce Boulevard and State Farm Road, has been in place since 2003 and is prone to frequent failures, said John McArthur, the director of Public Works.

“It’s old LEED technology…It’s like having a black and white TV,” McArthur said.

The proposed replacement is 50 feet tall and V-shaped, compared to the 38-foot tall billboard now in place. The new billboard will be equipped with a light sensor that adjusts brightness as outdoor light changes and operate round the clock, with the exception of between 3am to 5am, when freeway traffic is sparse.

Ads would be featured on both sides of the billboard and rotate every six seconds. Under the proposal, Veale Investment Properties would own and operate the board, and generate an estimated $180,000 a year for the city, plus 20 percent of all revenues over $900,000, according to City Manager Gabe Gonzalez.

The Rohnert Park Planning Commission will discuss the proposal this Thursday.

What do you think of the plan? Are you concerned about the height?