Battle over LED signs in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Some business owners in St. Petersburg are in a battle with the city over their electronic signs.

The signs were originally approved, but now the city says they violate an ordinance. The ordinance says LED signs can only have text, not graphics.

The sign at Northeast Animal Hospital lets people know where the business is along 4th Street North.

The sign used to show a cute kitty and a doggie in need of dental work, but today, you will only see text. 

"I think it is far more safe and less distracting to see pictures, not text," Dr. Mark Scribano said.

Scribano is frustrated, because about six months ago his LED sign -- worth about $40,000 -- was approved by the City of St. Petersburg.

"I had to do something to get business into my hospital," Scribano said.

However, a city ordinance says graphics on LED signs are not allowed, because they are distracting. That means the animal hospital and other businesses like Jannus Live, and Dentistry for Children and Teenagers have to comply, or they will face a fine.

"They (the city) said, 'well you'll just have to turn off your sign,' and I said, I'm not turning off my $52,000 sign," Pam Levitt said.

The city approved Levitt's sign and graphics about two years ago.  Levitt says at the time, no one said anything about the ordinance.

"To us, we did not even understand how that could have happened," Levitt said.

Thursday, city council members will hold a workshop to talk about the law. It will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Council could eventually ease up on the ordinance, or they could do the complete opposite.

"My guess is that the majority of council would be inclined to make it more strict," Karl Nurse said.

Councilman Nurse is worried that if more signs pop up, St. Petersburg could look like Las Vegas.

"I don't think most of the folks on council really think that's the look that we're looking for in St. Pete," Nurse said.

Levitt says most local businesses do not have the cash to buy a big electronic sign.

Signs that -- for now -- are only supposed to have words.