The Menifee City Council decided against exploring digital billboards further on Wednesday, with most council members saying they would rather see city-controlled welcome monuments instead.
Councilman Ben Diederich explained his vision for the billboards, saying he wanted to explore using digital displays as gateways into Menifee while also providing the city with advertising time and potential revenue.
“My vision would not be our freeway to be dotted with billboards along through the stretch of Menifee,” Diederich said. “It would be City of Menifee-branded gateways into the city from the north and the south.”
Diederich said the displays could be used to promote city events and emergency information.
The council did not consider a specific billboard company, agreement or site. The discussion was meant to determine whether the council was interested in exploring the idea further.
Menifee currently prohibits new billboards and has 13 existing billboards, all in the northern part of the city. Two are along I-215 and the other 11 are near Highway 74.
City staff also looked at how nearby cities handle billboards. Perris allows up to six electronic billboards, while Murrieta does not allow new ones. Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Riverside and Corona also prohibit them.
Mayor Ricky Estrada supported continuing to explore digital billboards.
“I think Menifee needs welcome monuments, place makers, things that help our unique identity,” Estrada said.
Councilmembers Dan Temple, Bob Karwin and Dean Deines did not support moving forward with digital billboards, raising concerns about advertising, the appearance of the billboards and how much control the city would have over their messaging.
“I’m not a fan of billboards,” Temple said. “I think that other monuments would add to the city. I think this would actually detract from the beauty of our hills, of our surrounding areas.”
Karwin pointed to the digital billboard in Perris and said he would rather see Menifee create its own gateway.
“The billboards to me just seem like noise,” Karwin said.
The council ultimately supported having staff return with options for city-controlled welcome monuments for future discussion.
