PROPOSAL FOR DIGITAL AD KIOSKS CLEARS KEY HURDLE

An outdoor advertising company’s proposal to install 50 large interactive digital kiosks throughout downtown San Diego took a key step Wednesday when the City Council’s economic development committee approved it 3-0.

Committee Chair Raul Campillo said the benefits, which include projected revenues for the city of $14.7 million over 10 years, outweigh the legal risks of amending the city’s carefully crafted sign ordinance to allow the kiosks.

“While there is risk, it seems to me that the court cases have a lot of similarities and are not distinctive enough from what we are proposing today to lead us down the road of losing a lawsuit and ultimately undoing our ordinance as a whole.”

Critics say the sign-ordinance amendments that would be necessary for the kiosks to be installed could eventually force San Diego to allow large building-wrap ads that could make downtown look more like Las Vegas or Times Square.

Campillo said his confidence is based partly on the fact that the proposal limits the kiosks to downtown and said it does not force the city to shift its priorities regarding signs.

“I believe we will still be promoting our city’s desired effects of aesthetics and safety by allowing these,” he said.

Councilmembers Monica Montgomery Steppe and Kent Lee also support the proposal, which will be considered for final approval by the full council this spring.

Montgomery Steppe said she was pleased the kiosks won’t be used as surveillance tools but said she will need details on how they fit into the city’s new surveillance ordinance.

The proposal is expected to generate more than $7 million for nonprofit Downtown San Diego Partnership, which would help maintain the kiosks along with the vendor, IKE Smart Cities.

IKE would get 55 percent of the ad revenue, with the city and the nonprofit splitting the remainder — 65 percent for the city and 35 percent for the nonprofit.

The kiosks would be required to show public service content more than half of the time.

Organizations expressing support for the kiosks include the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, San Diego Tourism Authority, Westgate Hotel, Lyceum Theater, Cox Communications and the New Children’s Museum. Those opposed include the San Diego Sierra Club and Scenic San Diego.