Five huge electric LED billboards have been proposed to be erected in Oakland. Most of the billboards are targeted for locations along the I-880 corridor. However, two of the proposed alternate sites are at the PG&E substation next to Lake Temescal Regional Park at the intersection of Highways 24 and 13.
At a 1:30pm February 10 public meeting at Oakland City Hall, the City Council’s Community and Economic Development committee is scheduled to vote on the proposal to erect the billboards. Each one will be up to 85 feet above highway level, illuminated on two sides, and be 48 to 60 feet wide and 14 to 20 feet high. The issue here is not just the billboards’ size, but their visual impact on the landscape. Particularly at night. Billboards are designed to catch the eye and grab your attention.
At night, electronic billboards command your attention. Consider the existing electronic billboards near the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza and, at night, how prominent they are, even 4 or more miles away, to tens of thousands of homes in the East Bay. For the thousands of homes on the hillside east of Lake Temescal, your panoramic vistas would be dominated by blazing, bright billboards, their screens ever-changing with ads.
For visitors to Lake Temescal park, the LED billboards would be an abomination, the lights of Times Square marring our park. City Council members Charlene Wang and Noel Gallo have sponsored the billboard proposal. They will argue that the city needs the revenue from the billboard deal. The legal notice for the proposal states that the City will receive “up to” $2,305,000, plus “up to” $750,000 per billboard per year.
If the City Council’s Community and Economic Development committee approves the measure at its February 10 public meeting, it is scheduled to be voted on by the full Oakland City Council on February 17.
Don’t let it get that far. Email City Council members and let them know how you feel about this crass sell-out of our city, neighborhoods, and our regional park. Tell them to vote no on all five billboards. City Council’s Community and Economic Development committee members:
Rowena Brown: atlarge@oaklandca.gov
Zac Unger: zunger@oaklandca.gov
Janani Ramachandran: District4@oaklandca.gov
Carroll Fife: District3@oaklandca.gov
The Mayor and other Oakland City Council members to contact:
Mayor Barbara Lee: officeofthemayor@oaklandca.gov
Ken Jenkins: District6@oaklandca.gov
Ken Houston: District7@oaklandca.gov
Charlene Wang CWang@oaklandca.gov
Noel Gallo: Ngallo@oaklandca.gov
You can view the legal notice about the billboards online at https://www.capublicnotice.com/advert/-notices_905648.
Editor’s Note: This proposed deal is with the Outfront Foster Interstate billboard company who plans to install up to 15 billboards throughout Oakland (this is in addition to the billboards currently being planned by Becker Boards).