Op-Ed: The New Electronic Sign Going Up at Roosevelt School is Bad News for Neighbors

This letter was sent to Patch by a reader.

Have an op-ed or letter to the editor you'd like published on RedwoodCity-Woodside Patch? E-mail redwoodcity@patch.com.

My wife and I live on Vera Avenue across the street from Roosevelt Elementary.

This past summer, we learned - from a vinyl banner on the school's fence - that the district had converted it from a K-6 to a K-8.

When we contacted the school to find out why the neighborhood wasn't involved in any part of the decision making process, we were told that it's not the district (or school's) obligation to inform the neighborhood or get it involved.

After that, we got on friendlier terms with Roosevelt's principal, Patricia Girardi, and after receiving a tour of the school I asked her to please keep me informed of anything that will affect me or my neighbors.

So, fast-forward to now: near the end of last week Principal Girardi informed one other neighbor and myself that the school is going to install a new school sign on Vera (across from our home). The sign will be 7.5' tall by 8' wide and have a full color jumbotron-type screen (approx. 2' x 7') able to display pictures and type.

Again, the neighborhood wasn't consulted - just told.

Via e-mail I voiced concerns relating to the placement of an electronic messaging sign - the kind with the sole purpose of grabbing the eyes of passers-by whether walking or driving.

The City has installed traffic-calming speed humps on Vera and the school is currently working with the police department to address ongoing traffic issues around the school. My point was simple: the traffic situation has improved over the last couple of years; why erode that progress with a sign that flashes messages exactly in the spot where traffic, children, the crossing guard and a dead-end street meet?

Unfortunately, my concerns were not addressed. Instead I was assured by Superintendent Jan Christensen and the district's Director of Facilities, Donald Dias, that nothing bad has ever happened at another school's drop-off zone because of a marquee.

The other side to this for me and my neighbors: we don't want any part of our street to remind us of Las Vegas. And it's not an unreasonable request since Redwood City created a sign ordinance in 2007 that prohibits electronic/animated messaging signs. So, how then does the district get away with installing them in residential neighborhoods?

They have a tiny loophole: Public schools exist on state property and most planning codes and ordinances cities create as baseline standards for beautification don't have to be followed. Many schools will... but they don't have to. And the district has installed similar signs at a few other school sites, clearly in violation of Redwood City's sign ordinance.

I feel that cities make decisions like this based on data available that demonstrates the negative impact of hyper-visual-stimulation on people and their communities. And on a practical level: The primary thing I see from my kitchen window while I make dinner or do dishes is a group of trees (some of them redwoods), and the school behind. I don't want the primary thing I see to be a sign flashing messages. Yes, it's an aesthetic concern, but we as a community value our homes and the enjoyment we get from them.

I think of local government this way: it exists to protect people from untoward actions by others. I shouldn't have to worry or anticipate the crazy thing my neighbor might do that could affect my home or enjoyment of it. To put it simply: I believe City government will be there to protect me when my neighbor does something outlandish. But, there's a big exception when it comes to public school property - I have to hope that they'll keep me informed of their plans.

And, if they don't, as in the case of the electronic sign that will be installed any day now, then I can look forward to seeing that sign every day I live in my home. And when I see it, I'll also think back to the tour of Roosevelt when Principal Girardi told us that the library was underfunded and only open two days a week. I'll wonder why the PTA spent so much time and effort funding that sign instead of working on ways to keep the school library open five days a week.

- Douglas Heintz, Redwood City resident

What do you think of the concerns Mr. Heintz voiced in his letter? What do you think of electronic signs like that one going up at Roosevelt? Is it fair to the surrounding homes? Tell us your opinion in the comments below.

Also on Redwood City-Woodside Patch:

• BREAKING: Resident Interrupts Teens Burglarizing His Home
• City Offers Low-Income Residents Cheap Home Improvement Loans
• New Redwood City Charter School Announces Location
• Community Upset Police Find Leyla Beban at Fault in Fatal Collision 

Stay informed on the latest news and events in your local neighborhood - follow Patch!

Sign up for Redwood City-Woodside Patch’s daily newsletter
"Like” us on Facebook
"Follow” us on Twitter

Want to share your opinions with the communities of Redwood City and Woodside? Start your own blog here.