PC Packet 09-20-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of New Brighton Planning Commission. In April 2011,my family purchased the DQ on old highway 8. It is my intent to update the DQ over the next three years and spend over$50,000.00 in upgrades to the facility. In my phase I upgrade, I installed new equipment and purchased the OJ name from American Dairy Queen. This OJ upgrade includes new signage and reader board. See attached pictures of new signs. During this process I have been made aware of an ordinance which only allows installation of new digital reader boards,which in turns bans traditional manual reader boards. My options,which have been explained to me by city hall,are listed below: • Comply with the ordinance and purchase a digital reader board. • Keep the existing reader board and install the new logos. Why do I request a change in the ordinance? The cost of a digital reader board from my approved DQ supplier would range $18,000 to$25,000. The return on investment (ROI) of the new digital reader board would take years to recover and the up keep to the digital panels when burnt out is costly in repair. The cost of a manual reader board is $1,300 and the ROI of the manual is much shorter than spending tens of thousands of dollars to communicating daily special, local fundraiser or an important message. The cost of repair for light bulbs or new letters are inexpensive compared to electronic components in a digital board. The second reason, I have become passionate about when speaking with customers who live in New Brighton. I have asked hundreds of residents if digital reader boards only policy works for the New Brighton. The overwhelming response is NO we don't want to live in Las Vegas. Mix usage would prevent the Las Vegas effect in the next 20 to 30 years and many cities actual ban digital boards outright. Over the past 5 years this DQ on old highway 8 never profited over$25,000 in a single year and to make a digital reader board purchase doesn't pass financial the ROI test. We are requesting the city to change its digital only policy to allow mixed usage reader boards manual and digital reader boards. Giving the small business the ability to compete with larger business that can afford the expensive return on investment of a digital reader board.