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Blue Springs, MO —
Blue Springs will be getting its first electronic billboard only two months after the Blue Springs City Council approved an ordinance allowing such advertising tools in the city.
The Blue Springs Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for Lamar Advertising. Lamar will be constructing the sign along the South Outer Road just west of Northwest 22nd Street.
Scott Allen, community development director for the city, said the electronic billboard will replace an existing sign. It meets all requirements that the city council set in December. There is one condition to the approval, which he said Lamar has agreed to provide. The city requires the billboard to have freezing capabilities in case of a malfunction.
“Lamar is aware of that and they do have the technology to address that issue,” Allen said. “It appears that it was just an omission from their submission.”
The sign will be similar to what is on Interstate 70 at Independence Center. Lamar currently has 23 digital, electronic billboards in the five county area of Kansas City. In addition, the company has 25 in Missouri and about 2,000 in the United States. The billboard’s content is closely monitored by Lamar’s national operating center in Louisiana. If the sign does malfunction, maintenance crews are required to be onsite within three hours.
Bob Fessler, vice president and Missouri territory manager for Lamar Advertising, said one of the sign’s capabilities is to assist in emergency situations. This includes partnering with Amber Alerts, FEMA and most recently, the National Weather Service. He also said that when there are available slots on the sign, Lamar can partner with the city and schools to promote local events.
“The sign has seven available slots, one is for emergency assistance,” he said. “We work a lot with the Lee’s Summit community promoting schools and civic events. When signs are unsold, we can definitely carve out time to put those on the signs.”
Fessler said the next step is to go through the approval process with the state of Missouri. He said installation of the electronic billboard will come in 60 to 90 days.
Blue Springs will be getting its first electronic billboard only two months after the Blue Springs City Council approved an ordinance allowing such advertising tools in the city.
The Blue Springs Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for Lamar Advertising. Lamar will be constructing the sign along the South Outer Road just west of Northwest 22nd Street.
Scott Allen, community development director for the city, said the electronic billboard will replace an existing sign. It meets all requirements that the city council set in December. There is one condition to the approval, which he said Lamar has agreed to provide. The city requires the billboard to have freezing capabilities in case of a malfunction.
“Lamar is aware of that and they do have the technology to address that issue,” Allen said. “It appears that it was just an omission from their submission.”
The sign will be similar to what is on Interstate 70 at Independence Center. Lamar currently has 23 digital, electronic billboards in the five county area of Kansas City. In addition, the company has 25 in Missouri and about 2,000 in the United States. The billboard’s content is closely monitored by Lamar’s national operating center in Louisiana. If the sign does malfunction, maintenance crews are required to be onsite within three hours.
Bob Fessler, vice president and Missouri territory manager for Lamar Advertising, said one of the sign’s capabilities is to assist in emergency situations. This includes partnering with Amber Alerts, FEMA and most recently, the National Weather Service. He also said that when there are available slots on the sign, Lamar can partner with the city and schools to promote local events.
“The sign has seven available slots, one is for emergency assistance,” he said. “We work a lot with the Lee’s Summit community promoting schools and civic events. When signs are unsold, we can definitely carve out time to put those on the signs.”
Fessler said the next step is to go through the approval process with the state of Missouri. He said installation of the electronic billboard will come in 60 to 90 days.
