John Coffelt, Editor

An amendment to a portion of the city’s sign ordinance in the Historic District will go before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen after being recommended by the Planning and the Historic Zoning commissions.

The amendment is seen as an olive branch to prevent Peoples Bank and Trust from further seeking a small parking lot near the square to be removed from the Historic District.

The parking lot that fronts Hillsboro Boulevard is the future location of an ATM for the bank. The construction plans were approved months ago by the Planning Commission, but Historic Zoning found that a proposed LED sign violates the current Historic District sign regulation that prohibits internally illuminated exterior signs.

The bank’s request passed the first reading to be removed from the historic zone, but that action concerned some as setting bad precedent.

The amendment is carefully worded to allow the LED sign but will exclude virtually any other location in the Historic District from being included.

“What this amendment will do will allow for lit signage in the Historic District along Highway 41 on any parcel that has open space and has over 150-feet of road frontage on Highway 41,” Codes Director Brittany Fiske said.

The only two parcels that fit those criteria are city hall and the parking lot.

Currently a public service clause provides a narrow exception for signs that display time and temperature. The LED that Peoples intends to incorporate into the design would also announce events on the square. Signs with external illumination such as spotlights are allowed in the district.

The request to be removed from the Historic District was treated like a rezoning request and would have required two readings by BOMA. Peoples Bank withdrew its request when the option to amend the ordinance was suggested as a compromise.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.