PRINCESS ANNE — When taking a glance at the sign board at the firehouse here, one can see the antiquity of the display.

With bent plastic letters easily manipulated by the wind and limited space to notify the public of upcoming events, it was a sign that the fire department needed an upgrade. In place of the old sign, the department planned to go a bit more modern with a device using light emitting diodes.

“The old sign looks unprofessional,” said Van Muir, fire department president. “What we have out there is an eyesore.”

But when the fire department applied for the change in signage, it was told the application could not be approved. The reason behind the rejection of the documents was that LED signs are not mentioned in the town’s code.

Town Commissioner Jay Parker said the most recent code, which was drafted in 1996, had no language on the books for how to settle the matter.

In order to get a better understanding of LED devices, the commissioners voted to place a 120-day moratorium on applications for the electronic signs. There will be a meeting Tuesday where the community at large can express their feedback and thoughts.

“We put the moratorium on because it was something our planning and zoning and board of appeals couldn’t rule on,” Parker said. “We have a conundrum here, so we have to update the code. We’re in the process of doing the research and trying to get a common-sense definition. “

The LED issue is something that is starting to appear with some regularity on both the local and national levels.

In Easton, business owners are seeking exemptions from the Town Council for restrictions that include brightness and timing standards and placement in historic districts as part of a measure to amend the electric sign ordinance. In Rhode Island, the town of Hopkinton recently banned all outdoor signs using LED, liquid crystal displays and plasma screens, citing them as safety hazards and a threat to the atmosphere of rural communities.

In Salisbury, the city’s code addresses illuminated signage as guidelines for sign contractors said Bill Holland, director of the city’s Building, Permits and Inspections department.

(Page 2 of 2)

“We periodically receive permits for LED signage, however it’s on a limited basis,” Holland said. “To our knowledge, we haven’t received any complaints or other concerns regarding such lighting.”

The Wicomico County Tourism Center went to a LED display more than five years ago to replace its previous sign, which was made of wood. Andy Wisk, deputy director of Wicomico Recreation, Parks & Tourism said there were several benefits to the upgrade.

“The reason we have one is the effectiveness of promoting our events,” he said. “Not only are we able to have that welcome, but we’re able to show all the events we have as well.”

Muir said so far, he has heard a lot of positive feedback from the members of the business community.

“The merchants are for it, and I’ve only heard it was a distraction comment from the commissioners,” he said. “You can go through towns like Snow Hill and Parsonsburg, and you can see that they have the signs and that it looks professional. I can’t see how it would take away from the historic district.”

Parker said that the Princess Anne commissioners have not taken a position on LED signs and that their hope is to get a better understanding of the devices, which is the purpose of the forum.

“The objective is to have an open-ended and open-to-public (forum) and to get everyone’s feedback,” Parker said. “We are going in with an open mind, and we want an atmosphere where we can discuss the situation. We want to be fair to everybody.”

Muir said while he doesn’t understand why it is an issue, he too is keeping an open mind about the commissioners’ need to do their due diligence.

“I can’t see how something like this has gone on this far,” he said. “But If we don’t get the sign, then we’ll just have to keep going. As a volunteer fire department, we want to work with the community, the county and the people and that.”