Parish request rekindles Port LED sign debate

Port Washington officials are once again debating the use of electronic changeable letter signs — aka LED signs — in the city after St. John XXIII Parish asked to install one at St. Peter of Alcantara Church on the city’s north side.

The Plan Commission on May 20 denied the request by the parish and its school by a 4-3 vote but left the door open for the parish to reapply, saying they want to formulate a consistent set of rules for the signs.

Public Works Director Rob Vanden Noven, a member of the commission, opposed the sign, saying the city is “seeing a proliferation” of this type of signage.

“I don’t feel they make the city more attractive, especially if we’re going to see them in front  of every business, church and school, especially in this day when you can get information from church bulletins and websites,” he said, adding he favors a ban on LED signs in the city.

“I don’t think we want to see them downtown. And this is a very prominent location.”

That fact weighed on commission member Mike Ehrlich, who noted it is an entrance to the community.

“The question is does it make sense in these kinds of areas,” he said.

The parish had proposed adding the six-by-three-foot electronic message board to its existing monument sign at the main entrance to the church and school on Wisconsin Street.

Bob Harris, the city’s director of planning and development, noted that the church is in a residential district, and these signs are only allowed in business districts.

However, he noted that LED signs have been approved at many of the schools in the city and at one other church.

“This is not a unique request,” Harris said.

He recommended the sign be approved with three conditions — that it have a dimming sensor, that the images and text remain fixed for at least 30 seconds and that the images and text not roll, scroll, flash or contain other types of movement.

Several commission members noted that the proposed sign is attractive, but said they want the city to have a consistent policy to guide the commission and businesses.

Last year, the commission recommended the city prohibit LED signs, but the Common Council “was not comfortable with that,” Harris said.

But, he said, aldermen were open to reconsidering the policy if the commission came up with a less restrictive plan.

“This is difficult because in some cases it might make sense (to have an LED sign) and in some cases it might not,” commission member Eric Ryer said.

This was the first request for an LED sign since the council voted down the proposed ban, Vanden Noven noted.

Commission member Tony Matera said the commission needs to come up with a policy.

“Until we have a line in the sand, it’s an interpretation,” he said.

Mayor Ted Neitzke, a member of the commission agreed, saying “I just don’t want to put people in a perpetual cycle of not knowing.”

Voting to allow the parish’s sign were Ehrlich, Neitzke and commission member Kyle Knop.

Voting against it were Matera, Vanden Noven, Ryer and Ald. Paul Neumyer.

Commission members agreed to look at creating a policy on LED signs, saying they would take up the matter at the June meeting.

If approved by the commission, a policy could be considered by the Common Council in July or August.

“In my mind, this project is not dead,” Matera told parish representatives at the meeting.