Electronic Message Display Signs

A 50-year lighting professional said the electronic sign idea is a 'can of worms,' described unreadable LED church signs she photographed, and urged the commission to reject the amendment because lighting is a science and green is the most visible color.

A Seaside homeowner said illuminated signs don't belong in residential neighborhoods, would ruin neighborhood character, and would set a precedent affecting more than 40 church properties in the city.

A nearly 40-year resident warned the ordinance would intrude on residential streets, that residents will complain once signs are installed and expensive, and asked the commission to get a map of affected churches and notify residents before making changes.

A private citizen living within the sight lines of a church on Waring Street said a hillside church sign would blast light down the slope, opposed the 6 a.m. on-time, and supported the four-foot height limit and perpendicular sign orientation.

A neighborhood improvement commissioner speaking as a private resident urged rejection of illuminated signs in residential zones, citing light pollution, sleep disruption, safety glare, and irreversible precedent.

A 45-year resident said the signage belongs in casinos, not neighborhoods with families and schoolchildren, and that it cheapens the town's ambience and opens a can of worms.

A retired law enforcement officer described his unresolved six-month battle with LED rope lights at a church across from his home, argued existing protections are already failing residents, and suggested a hybrid passive-illumination sign technology for nighttime use.

Representing Lighthouse Full Gospel Church at 1153 Hamilton Avenue, described her rusting, backlit manual letterboard sign that's falling apart in the weather and asked the Commission to let the church install a modern electronic sign she can update from her office — noting its light also helps light the dark street at night.