Rolling Meadows considers allowing new billboard along Route 53

Drivers may soon see a new digital billboard along Route 53 in Rolling Meadows, if the city council changes its regulations to allow it.

David Williams, president of Green Signs, presented a proposal to the Rolling Meadows City Council on Tuesday for a 14-by-48-foot digital billboard on the east side of Route 53, near the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Rohlwing Road.

Current city code allows billboards only on the west side of Route 53.

The sign would be owned by Green Signs, which would have a long-term lease agreement with Arlington Office Park, 1835-1951 Rohlwing Road, to advertise vacant office space, Williams said.

Arlington Office Park has 103,000 square feet of office space that is only 65 percent occupied, and the complex is in need of improvements, Williams said. Revenue from new tenants attracted by the billboard could fund those upgrades, he added.

Green Signs would pay Rolling Meadows a one-time $50,000 permit fee for the billboard, which would sit about 1,000 feet from a residential area to the south.

Council members said they were concerned that by changing city code for one sign, they may be asked to change it again for others.

But Williams said that because of other sign regulations, such as restrictions on proximity to residential areas or existing signs, that would be unlikely.

"It's a very minor modification to the ordinance," he said.

Other aldermen were concerned that any money brought in by Arlington Office Park would actually go to site improvements, not just into the owner's pockets.

City Attorney Jim Macholl said officials could look into an agreement with the complex's owner about that, but Alderman John D'Astice said the city should stay out of it.

"I think government should keep its hands out of the pockets of business owners," D'Astice said. "They can spend the money as they see fit. I won't vote for anything that will tell the property owner how he can spend the money."

The property owner was not at Tuesday's meeting. Mayor Tom Rooney said he would like to hear from the owner as the process moves forward.

"I see this as a win-win," said Alderman Laura Majikes. "I think this is a great idea that will help generate revenue for the owner of that property to spruce it up a little bit. It does need it."