The Reno City Council approved a controversial digital sign ordinance Wednesday. Reno Public Radio's Julia Ritchey reports.
This was the final vote over the new regulations, which have sparked a lengthy debate.
Mayor Hillary Scheive says the rules aren’t perfect but are definitely an improvement.
The ordinance seeks to balance the interests of the business community and those who would prefer to keep corridors free from the bright electronic signs favored by the area's casinos, convenience stores and some strip clubs.
Public comment continued to reflect those divisions, with residents like Kathy Bohall criticizing the rules as too lax.
"If this ordinance is adopted, and it probably will be, instead of the Biggest Little City in the World, we'll be the Trashiest Little City in the World. Watch 'Blade Runner' if you want to know what I'm talking about."
Tray Abney of the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce says the revised amendments are actually too strict.
"We're still concerned that we may be the only local jurisdiction that's going to measure sign brightness in one way while the others do it in a different way. [That’s] difficult for those businesses that operate in multiple jurisdictions."
The ordinance passed 6-1, with Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus the only nay vote.
