Woodland, CA Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)

Section 17.72.050(D)(2) treats digital billboards as a narrowly permitted freestanding sign type: new digital billboards can only be built by relocating an existing billboard or converting one already standing, and every application needs a Conditional Use Permit under § 17.100.100, plus site plan and Design Review approval from the Planning Commission. Location is capped geographically: Segment One runs from the northern city boundary along I-5 south to the East Main Street underpass, excluding the frontage between East Beamer Street and East Kentucky Avenue, and allows a maximum of two signs, while Segment Two runs from County Road 102 east to the city boundary and allows only one.

Every sign must sit within 500 feet of the freeway right-of-way, at least 2,500 feet from any other digital billboard, and at least 250 feet from any other freeway-oriented sign taller than 30 feet. No digital billboard may go up between East Main Street and East Beamer Street, or within 1,200 feet of an existing residence, unless the applicant funds a balloon test proving the sign cannot be seen from that property. The development standards cap height at 68 feet from the freeway centerline grade to the top of the sign, limit each face to 672 square feet, and allow no more than two faces angled no more than 20 degrees apart absent a visibility study, up to a maximum of 45 degrees.

Brightness cannot exceed 0.3 candela over ambient light measured at 250 feet, checked by field testing at start-up, six months, and on City request, with mandatory dimming and a 24-hour cure period. Messages must stay static for at least eight seconds with no more than a one-second transition, and the City gets at least 5% of display time for community and emergency messaging. Every square foot of new digital display requires permanently removing two square feet of existing billboard area citywide.