What to know about digital signage in Queen Creek
The window-sign gap
The Town lets a business put one non-electronic or neon sign of 2 square feet, below 6 feet, in an interior window without a permit. That allowance expressly does not cover electronic or message boards. Electronic signage proposed in a Comprehensive Sign Plan, meanwhile, has to be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. A storefront screen appears to sit between the two. That is our reading of two rules, not a Town statement, so ask the Planning Administrator before you hang one.
Source: Town of Queen Creek Zoning Ordinance 7.2.A.8.b and 7.2.A.10
Drive-through menu boards need a permit
Drive-through menu boards need a permit, with a limit of two per lane at 24 square feet each, or 12 square feet for the preview board. They also cannot sit next to a public right-of-way. This rule is for drive-thru and drive-up restaurants.
Source: Town of Queen Creek Zoning Ordinance 7.2 Menu Boards
Permitted signs carry their voltage
A building permit is required for all signs unless specifically exempted. Every permitted sign must carry its install date, permit number and the voltage of any electrical apparatus, in letters at least one inch high.
Message changes count
A sign whose message changes more than eight times a day counts as animated, and animated signs are not allowed. Flashing signs and signs that emit sound are also prohibited. That limit matters for rotating promos on anything people can see from outside.
Source: Town of Queen Creek Zoning Ordinance, Art. 9 and 7.2 Prohibited Signs
What a signage system includes
A system is the screens, a small media player behind each one (or a player built into the display), a network connection, and software that lets you change content from a laptop or phone. We install the screens and mounts, run the cable, set up the software and show your team how to update it.
Screens can run the same content or different content on a schedule, such as breakfast, lunch and happy hour.
Menu boards
Menu boards are the most common job for restaurants. A price change takes a minute instead of a reprint. Items that sell out come off the board. We lay out the boards so the text reads from the register queue, and we use commercial displays rated for long hours.
- Portrait or landscape screens, singly or in a wall of several.
- A schedule that switches menus by time of day.
- Content that stays on the player if the internet drops.
Window and outdoor screens
Direct sun in Arizona washes out an ordinary display, so a screen near glass needs a high-brightness model. Those screens run hot, and a window can be hotter still. Outdoor units need a weather rating and a ventilated enclosure.
Whatever the hardware, the screen's position matters under the Town rules. A screen inside the room facing the dining area is different from one facing a street. We settle the question with the Town before the screen is bought.
Signage in Downtown Queen Creek
In the Downtown Core, signs follow the Downtown Core Design Guidelines and not the general sign rules. Those guidelines, dated September 2018, list a programmable electronic sign among types discouraged there and cap total wall signage at 150 square feet. The Planning Administrator can accept alternatives. The Town's list of coming Downtown restaurants and shops makes this a live question for new tenants.
Network, power and upkeep
Each screen needs power and a network cable. We plan both at the mounting location so there are no loose cords. The signage software needs a stable connection to update, so we place players on your business network and keep guest WiFi separate. We also check that content still plays after a power cycle.
Often paired with
Signage often goes in with TV and video distribution in restaurants and bars, and with LED video walls where you want something larger. A control panel can switch between them. Other systems we install here are on Enzo in Queen Creek.
