Champaign council seeks to ease rules on electronic signs

CHAMPAIGN – When First Federal Savings Bank bought a new electronic sign several months ago, it was with the idea of letting the public know about the bank's different products, or to post occasional pro-Illini messages.

"It gives us a chance to share our message with the community," said George Rouse, president of the bank, whose main office – and the new sign – is at 1311 S. Neil St.

But First Federal and three other businesses on South Neil Street – McDonald's, Walgreens and Culver's – were dismayed to learn this summer that the city's zoning ordinance allows on-premise electronic signs to change their image or message only once every 15 minutes.

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