Virginia Beach bans LED signs, except for their own
By Brian Kirwin | Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 | PolicyCity Council doesn’t mind their electronic signs at their Sandler Center for the Performing Arts (for their donors) or their Convention Center (for their tourists).
Local businesses, however, can’t use them anymore.
City Council voted last night, with Barbara Henley leading the charge, to ban local businesses and churches from using new LED signs.
VB schools have them, but that’s just fine with the city. And the giant LED signs outside the Sandler Center and Convention Center attracted Council members to their ribbon cutting ceremonies.
Henley and her ilk think electronic signs are dangerous, so I would think a SCHOOL would be a horrible place for them. But the current school signs will not be impacted by this ban.
Of course, word is that the secret plans for the new Dome Site development has guess-what-kind-of-signs.
I smell “exception” in the air, don’t you?
Kind of like the exception the city will give itself for all of its existing electronic signs.
If the City Council wants to retain a modicum of credibility, they’d adopt the notion of abiding by the rules they impose on others, and take down every single Sandler/Convention/School LED sign.
Either that, or change Virginia Beach’s slogan from “A Community for a Lifetime” to “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche.”
Tags:
Contribute for Conservatism!
Share this post
About the author
The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
Comments
13 Responses to "Virginia Beach bans LED signs, except for their own"
More “Do as I say, not as I do” hypocratic government.
I have a question as to why the VB city council is theoretically non partisan. Yes it matters.. They are in theory independent but it just aint so. Why are other cities city council members members of one party or another but not in VB? Who is BS’ing who?
I like what Glenn Davis said, “businesses that have the signs now will have an unfair advantage over those who can’t get them now.
“It speaks volumes to how Virginia Beach government views business and the ability of business to advertise themselves in a down economy,”
I am glad at least one city council member is thinking about businesses being able to stay afloat or grow in this economy.
What exactly is dangerous about an LED sign? That people actually look at them?
Brian,
The opponents claim they distract drivers as they pass on the road. However, it doesn’t take a ban to correct that.
Kathy,
I agree. The Virginia Beach City Council calls itself “pro-business”, but last night’s vote was as anti-business as they get.
I am absolutely astonished the one at Nauticus hasn’t caused an accident yet. It is incredibly bright and incredibly distracting as you are coming around that turn.
LED lights is one thing, but a giant HD screen 30 feet across is another. So long as businesses don’t cross the line, I don’t see a problem. Also, think of the public service uses. Adams Outdoors said they would put up LED billboards and allow the city and non-profits like the Red Cross make full use of them for donor solicitation and emergency messages like Amber Alerts.
Chris, there are a small group of naysayers who liked Virginia Beach back when it was a “bedroom community” of a bunch of landowners who were wealthy enough to live away from Norfolk.
They liked the way Virginia Beach was back then: No jobs, no “other people” in their neighborhoods, where any music played with a backbeat was scandalous.
We are now the largest city in Virginia with a vibrant, diverse community that needs jobs.
They don’t like that.
Brian, those folks are from waaay back when Pungo was a metropolis compared to that sleepy little bedroom town by the ocean front called Virginia Beach.
Guys and a few girls skate boarding and surfing helped pull in the younger generations that led the growth from the 60′s forward.
If you recognize some faces and landmarks on this video, you might be an original VB local..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE3fBMTbmbM&feature=related
Next we will have to ban advertising with people jumping around in costumes and waving signs on the sidewalks. They can certainly distract drivers as well. Too bad for the fundraising car washes.
Although I am not from the area, it seems to me maybe they didn’t go far enough with this measure. They should make each business turn off any lights that may be associated with their signage at night time to reduce them from being a distraction as well. This also would reduce energy costs and Virginia Beach could market themselves as being a green community (not because of money of course). It’s the classic two birds-one stone scenario. Keep up the good work council members, your constituents depend on your continued leadership abilities.
Maytag, if you think lights are a distraction at nighttime, I’d hate to be driving while you’re on the road.
Brian, make sure you turn your headlights off too. They are distracting to me. I was simply being sarcastic with my comments. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that they truly believe that the signs are that distracting. Locally, where I live they decided to put time limits on how often these signs may change, yet the schools are exempt from this measure as well. But then again, others are complaining that the county is wasting money by having electronic signs anyways.
So was I. I never thought I’d see Sessoms cuddle up to Meyera’s clique.
I feel the proponents of this measure were acting out of their view of civic responsibility, however, it seems like another case of the government having one set of rules and the citizens another. I would hope that the use of LED signs, like all others,could be regulated to enable safe usage of modern technology.
Leave your response
The comments section is for meaningful discussion. Readers are reminded to post comments that are germane to the article and write in a common language that steers clear of personal attacks and/or vulgarities.
Please take a moment to review our comment policy.