Lighted billboards too bright?

Electronic billboards are a new way to attract customers, but sometimes with new technologies come more problems.

One such sign is located near the entrance of Villa Vizcaya, a subdivision located off U.S. Highway 98 in Navarre. Homeowner Kirk Pristas recently contacted Skip Tompkins, the Santa Rosa County compliance superintendent, about the sign. Pristas noted that the sign “is so bright that it shines into” his house through the windows and “lights up” his backyard.

Other homeowners in Villa Vizcaya have complained during homeowners’ meetings that the light is “blinding” as they attempt to leave their subdivision at night. During one such meeting, the company that owns the board requested the trees around the sign be cut back to allow for more exposure. According to Pristas, this measure received a “unanimous no.”

For more on this story, see the Feb. 2 issue of Navarre Press or subscribe online.