At-large Councilman Ronnie Steine has introduced a bill that will prohibit Light Emitting Diode (LED) signs in residential zoning districts.
T
he bill is in response to the bogged-down piece of legislation fellow At-large Councilman Charlie Tygard had sponsored. Tygard's initial bill would have allowed LED signs such as the ones often seen at pharmacies to be used by religious institutions and schools in residential areas.
Tygard's bill is deferred indefinitely at the Council level and was disapproved by the Planning Commission. Tygard has vowed to amend the bill to allow religious institutions and schools to use LED signs on major roads like Harding Pike and West End and to allow them for special exceptions on other streets.
The bill has faced resistance from neighborhood associations and Council members across Nashville who say the signs are too bright and distracting for residential areas.
In the meantime, Steine's bill would explicitly outlaw them in all residential areas. Steine's bill is up for first reading at tomorrow night’s Metro Council meeting.
