Suwanee May Update Policy on LED Lights

The growing popularity of LED lighting is prompting Suwanee officials to consider updating their policy.

Planning Director Josh Campbell said Thursday at a City Council workshop that LED lighting is "great," but the city feels like its law needs to be updated to aid motorists and to preserve the integrity of current sign rules. He noted that LED lighting is energy efficient and creates much less light pollution.

Seems that some businesses in Suwanee are using the strips as signs per se, and that is what officials want to stop. Also, the lights sometimes can be a hazard to motorists.

"We're trying to manage the use" of LED lights, City Manager Marty Allen said. "They'll be on every sign in three years." Officials already have noted more than a dozen businesses on some major city streets that are using the lights.

However, using LED lights within an existing sign still would be permitted.

"The source of illumination needs to be obscured so that you're not looking at the actual source of light," Campbell said.

The new ordinance would read: "The source of illumination shall be shielded, obscured and or diffused sufficiently to ensure that it is not creating a hazard for drivers."

The matter could come up for a vote by City Council at the April 23 meeting. Official business is not conducted at workshops.

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