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Community Corner

A Sign of the Times

Town officials are hoping to modernize some town signage codes.

The town is creating a proposal that would allow gas stations to use light-emitting diode (LED) lighting to advertise gas prices in the future.

LED bulbs are known to be more durable, energy efficient, and longer lasting than standard or fluorescent light bulbs. A special chip that makes light when electricity is supplied to it, becoming a series of several LEDs combined into one unit.

Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Michael DelSanto sparked discussion on the electronic signage during Tuesday's meeting, finding most members in support of allowing the change, under controlled measures.

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DelSanto said the idea came to him after a gas station owner in town approached him, asking why Southington doesn't allow the LED signs and other municipalities do.

"This is the stuff that makes us business-friendly, so I wanted to offer a discussion and see where everyone stands," DelSanto said. "I think we are behind the eight ball on this but I think we have to do it smart and slow."

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Commission member Steven Kalkowski said after he recently researched electronic signage laws across the country, he found parameters such as standardizing lights around a single color, allowing no graphics, only text, and controlling the intensity and frequency of changes on signs would work best. Commissioners  such as Zaya Oshana, Francis Kenefick and James Sinclair agreed.

"It's a sign of the times. It's the year 2011 and besides putting out less light they're cheaper to run," Kenefick said. "A lot of these people have spent lots of money rebuilding their properties and I think it wouldn't hurt this town one bit to stay ahead of the curve."

Some commissioners such as Kelly DelDebbio and Paul Chaplinsky said they were apprehensive about allowing the electronic signage but were open to further discussions about controlling the changes.

"I'm in favor of controlling the types of lights and the size of the numbers, because we are talking about gas prices instead of what milk and bread is selling at the given moment, so maybe there's some happy medium we can reach between where we are today and where we want to go that might make sense for the community," Chaplinsky said.

Chaplinsky also suggested reviewing and updating the town's entire signage laws, but DelSanto and Town Manager Garrison Brumback said it'd be better to proposal the changes at hand, and tackle that project in the near future.

"We probably do eventually need to go through the sign code, but it's a very time consuming, and you would probably be well served pulling this slice out before you embark on what is unfortunately a lengthy and painful event. It's like jumping over the curb versus climbing Mount Everest."

Town Attorney Mark Sciota said he'd work on revisions and offer the commission a proposal in the near future.

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