A two-sided digital billboard was approved by the West Hollywood City Council on Feb. 3. (rendering courtesy of the city of West Hollywood)

On Feb. 3, the West Hollywood City Council once again found itself discussing approval of a billboard on the Sunset Strip. It has become a regular occurrence at meetings, and lengthy hearings often get into the minutia of the size and scope of these projects.

But in addition to approving a double-sided digital billboard on 9200 Sunset Blvd., the City Council also authorized city staff to establish three new positions in the Community Development Department dedicated to billboards. This comes as a further evolution in the Sunset Boulevard Arts & Advertising Program, which sought to “reimagine” outdoor signage on the Strip.

With the creation of the positions, the City Council hopes to streamline development and approvals for signage.

“The council recognized that we need to have a dedicated unit at city hall focused on signage regulation,” said Vice Mayor John Heilman, who helped initiate the item. “The current staffing results in inconsistencies and lack of clarity. I’m glad the council approved my direction to consolidate the staffing for signage within the Community Development Department. This will provide greater accountability and transparency for the signage program.”

Billboards have been lucrative for West Hollywood, as deals for building signage include a percentage of revenue returned to the city.

“The billboard program brings with it a direct investment back into the city that allows us to have budget surpluses and also re-invest back into our communities,” Councilman John Erickson said. “I support bringing on my staff to ensure these projects get across the finish line and also support us doing this on other major items, such as our lagging infrastructure across the city.”

“I’m super happy about the future administration of our billboard program,” said Councilman Danny Hang, who co-authored the item. “It just makes sense to house the program with a dedicated team. It’s going to make the whole process smoother. And with optimal milestones in place, we can get projects approved faster, which means the city starts generating revenue faster. It’s a smart move and was a unanimous vote.”

For the rest of the year, contracted staff will continue to work with the projects that are currently in process. A full transition to in-house staff is set to be completed by the end of the year.

The billboards approved for 9200 Sunset Blvd., which houses the restaurant BOA and the social club Soho House, will be on the western side of the building. Originally, they were proposed to be static billboards, but during the meeting the council negotiated to upgrade them to digital.

“The proposed sign was using outdated materials and wasn’t maximizing the revenue for the city,” Heilman said. “We ultimately agreed on permitting a sign with modern technology which will generate substantially more revenue for city services.”

“Now that it will be digital, it’ll be a bold and creative piece that adds to the cool vibe of Sunset Boulevard and be a strong revenue generator for West Hollywood,” Hang said. “It’s going to help fund social services programs, infrastructure improvements, arts programs and so much more. It’s a win for both the city’s culture and economy, and I’m excited to see it come to life.”