No Vegas-style signs for us, Lindon says

LINDON — Lindon officials agree: What happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas, especially when it comes to signage.

"We want to be different here in Lindon," said City Councilman Bruce Carpenter about a request by a company to have a sign with a red LED display at Utah Auto Sales, 10 N. State.

"This is just a couple of steps away from Las Vegas," Carpenter said. "I believe they are distracting, which is what businesses want and exactly what we don't want."

Plans for the monument-type sign — which wasn't approved by the council — stated it would stand 14 feet high and include a 24- to 36-inch LED section with motion pictures of vehicles.

Shaun Corbridge, who represents Sign City, a signage company, said Utah Auto wants the same sort of consideration given to a car wash in Lindon that has a motion display sign with lettering.

Lindon city planning director Adam Cowie said the sign for the car wash was deemed, according to city regulations, a sign with changeable copy, which is allowed in the city's signage rules.

The proposed sign for Utah Auto falls in the category of a motion sign which is not addressed in the city's signage regulations — and so city officials consider it unallowable.

Councilman Jerald Hatch said he knows how important it is for a businessman to get the public's attention. "Having been a business owner on State Street," he said, "I think if we give business licenses we better give permission for signs to make sure the business works."

Pleasant Grove Police Capt. Cody Cullimore said a new, large moving sign, like the one in front of Orem's Supersonic car wash, could be a problem. Motorists may be so engaged in the moving sign that they forget to pay attention to the road, he said.

Corbridge said a large LED display sign generally costs some $18,000. The cost may be prohibitive for many businesses, he said.

Councilman Eric Anthony said that assuming businesses won't be able to afford such big motion signs is not a good reason to approve Utah Auto's request and set a precedent for the city.

"We want the drive (down State Street in Lindon) to be pleasant," he said. "I like subtlety."

The council agreed the Utah Auto Sales sign falls within the motion sign category and cannot be allowed at this time but acknowledged the current ordinance leaves room for conflicting interpretations.

Utah Auto Sales company owner Kevin Gallagher said he's not one who likes to fight, so for now, he'll put a sign up without the display but one that's wired for the day when times change.

"I think their ordinance is outdated," Gallagher said. "And what's funny is they only allow a certain height and then they make you put up linden trees that hide them."

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