MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:41 am

Changes to Murfreesboro’s restrictive sign ordinance are up before the council Thursday night.

The city council will consider lessening the ordinance in a third and final reading to allow automated changeable copy signs. Electronic LED-style and multi-vision signs will still be prohibited under the proposed changes.

The city’s sign ordinance has come under fire for being too restrictive, but the city has argued it is restrictive for safety reasons and changes are being made slowly because once they are done, they can’t be undone.

The city argues some LED-based and multi-vision signs are distracting to drivers and more studies need to be done before they are considered safe.

“At a minimum, staff believes that consideration of allowing any of these kinds of signs should be deferred until the planned Federal Highway Administration study of safety issues is completed, which is scheduled for later this year,” Planning Director Gary Whitaker wrote previously in a memo to council.

Most of the new signs – LED-based electronic graphic and video display types – are used to display gasoline prices or sale items at convenience or drug stores.

Other types of signs, like multi-vision signs and billboards, are made up of vertical slates that rotate between different images.

Automated changeable copy, or flip-matrix, signs display letters or numbers that are not illuminated and can be changed remotely by computer.

George Huddleston, president of Huddleston Oil Co., said at a public hearing held in March some gasoline companies require the use of either manual changeable signs using plastic numbers or LED lights.

He said installing the plastic numbers can be dangerous for his employees, customers and motorists if the letters happen to fly off.

The council will also consider on second reading a rezoning request for a high-end student apartment complex on Dill Lane off Mercury Boulevard. The council unanimously approved a rezoning request on first reading last week.

Neighbors of the complex, the Reserve at Dill Lane proposed by Eagle Summitt Partners, are worried about storm water issues from Sinking Creek, which runs through the site area and through their backyards.

The council discussed the issue with the developer’s representative, Matt Taylor from SEC Engineering, as well as City Planning Director Joseph Aydelotte and City Engineer Chris Griffith.

Griffith said the planning department has looked into the issue. He found the area is low and holds water, but the fallen trees and debris are the landowners’ responsibility and not the city’s.

Taylor said the developers plan to build a storm water retention pond to slow the creek’s flow during times of rainfall and incorporate green space into the complex’s design to reduce runoff.

The proposed apartment complex will be composed of 14 three-story buildings of 260 town house-style apartments.

Other council business:
- Consider for passage on third and final reading an ordinance to annex and rezone as commercial fringe district an area located on the northwestern corner of Halls Hill Pike and Twin Oak Drive and to adopt a Plan of Services.

- Consider for passage on second reading an ordinance amending the appendix of Murfreesboro’s zoning resolution pertaining to definitions and charts, updating terms, reorganizing and renumbering existing text, and other amendments.

- Consider for passage on first reading an ordinance amending Murfreesboro City Code, dealing with cemeteries, reducing the percentage of proceeds placed in the perpetual trust fund, modifying scheduling requirements and clarifying the provisions.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.