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Warsaw Community Schools will install three high-tech LED signs for three of its buildings following approval by the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday night.
All three signs exceed what is allowed under city zoning codes, but the factor that tripped up members of the BZA was the brightness that could emanate from the permanent signs.
Those concerns were assuaged by representatives of the sign company, Graycraft Signs Plus, as well as school officials who expressed a willingness to work with neighbors if they find the signs too bright.
The new signs are planned for outside of Madison and Washington elementaries (and the nearby Central Office), but the most eye catching will be at the high school along Ind. 15S.
That sign will replace one that is about 24 years old. It is expected to be only slightly larger, but the shape will change significantly. Whereas the existing sign is horizontal, the new one will be more vertical and about 19 feet tall. The portion of the sign that will feature digital messaging and video will remain about the same size, officials said.
The two other signs are smaller.
The sign near Washington will be about 7 feet tall and the messaging board will be roughly 7 feet by 3 feet.
The Lincoln sign is 14 feet wide and about 6 feet tall and has a reader board similar in size to Washington’s.
BZA officials expressed concern that the signs might create too much light at night, but Scott Gray, owner of Graycraft Signs Plus, said sensors have the ability to automatically adjust the brightness based on the amount of natural light.
The signs are much brighter during the day and use about 60 percent power, but are dimmed significantly at night and use about 7 percent of the potential power, Gray said.
Additionally, the signs can be manually adjusted to further dim the lights if needed, he said.
One board member suggested the high school sign be turned off at 11 p.m., but Jim LeMasters, director of facility operations and new construction, said they preferred to have that sign on 24 hours a day.
LeMasters also conveyed a sense of flexibility.
““We want to be good neighbors, so if there is an issue, we’ll be happy to work with you,” LeMasters said.
