A few months back Holiday gas stations installed blue neon-ish lights around their gas station signs at numerous South Metro locations sparking the ire of residents. These local residents contacted Lazy Lightning to ask what could be done about the distractions it was causing drivers as they passed by the stations.
After researching local city ordinances, Holiday Companies Corporate Offices in Bloomington were contacted. Customer Service provided information that all station signs meet city requirements for daytime or night luminescence and each has been approved by the respective city. Research shows that a majority of cities require retail signage to limit emissions through indirect lighting they test the device to ensure light does not interfere with traffic signals and does not cause glare for passing motorists or adjacent properties. However, observations made at three different Holiday gas station stores in Apple Valley (CR-42/Johnny Cake), Lakeville (CR-46/Garrett), and Rosemount (CR-42/Chippendale) show that these rules were ignored by at least Apple Valley although the city has already required changes and may be asking for future changes as well.
Bruce Nordquist, Apple Valley’s Community Development Director responded to Lazy Lightning’s questions about the sign at CR-42/Johnny Cake and had this to say (edits in format only):
- The blue LED strip addition to the existing sign used by the Holiday store required only an electrical permit, not a sign permit approval, to install.
- To differentiate the overall light on the existing sign versus the LED addition would require an independent evaluation by a lighting expert. This step has not occurred.
- Others have also observed the blue light intensity.
- Staff requested that the Holiday corporate office adjust the intensity of the added light.
- About two weeks ago, timers and dimmers were added to the system by Holiday to reduce the intensity by an estimated 40 percent (60 percent power) from sunset to sunrise. The reduction in intensity has been noticeable in a positive way based on public feedback.
While no specifics were provided about the number of residents making complaints nor the number suggesting the mitigated effects were acceptable, when Lazy Lightning noted the sign at that location is still too bright especially during the daylight hours, Nordquist replied the city would follow up with them and, “request further night and daytime adjustment.”
While Apple Valley’s response to citizen concern about the signs are to be applauded by all, one may wonder why the signs were not tested prior to installation and why they appeared to be in violation of the city ordinance which states, “All illuminated signs shall have an indirect or diffused light source and be designed so as not to direct rays of light onto public streets or adjacent property, thereby creating a nuisance or safety hazard,” in the first place. Sitting at the traffic light at the corner of Johnny Cake and CR-42 during the nighttime hours allows drivers to see the blue hue spread across the road. This effect is exacerbated during wet/icy road conditions usually common during the winter months.
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For your reference here are some of the related regulations for a variety of South Metro cities, including the three in question:
Apple Valley’s Code of Ordinances 154.06
Burnsville City Code 10-30-3: General Provisions
Farmington’s City Code 10-6-3: Signs and Billboards
Lakeville City Code Chapter 11-16-17.A
Rosemount City Code 11-4-various
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What do you think about the bright blue light emitted from Holiday’s recently installed signage? Do you find the lights and the way they’re built to be distracting to you when you drive? Are you surprised that you can clearly see the lights of the Holiday station on CR-42 and Chippendale in Rosemount all the way from Diamond Path, a mile away, during daylight hours? How about Apple Valley’s response to citizen concerns about the problem. Do you think they never should have allowed the signs in the first place or are you just happy they seem to be enforcing standards after the fact? Do you believe your city should force Holiday to make changes to their signs in your town? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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February 7th, 2012 at 7:45 am
Above is a cropped photo taken from nearly 3/4 of a mile away at the intersection of CR-46 and Flagstaff and cropped to zoom a bit. As you can see there is a bright blue light in the center of the view which drowns out oncoming car headlights which are considerably closer at the intersection of Foliage and CR-46).
It’s like having a car with its high beams on 24/7. If that’s not distracting to drivers I don’t know what is.
February 7th, 2012 at 8:07 am
OMG I HATE THESE SIGNS. They are really hard to drive by because they are soo bright.
February 7th, 2012 at 8:11 am
Forgot to mention, I saw a Holiday sign while landing at MSP over Christmas. Clear as anything. UGH
February 7th, 2012 at 8:38 am
I believe the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce fought this and the lighting will be changed at the Holiday Station in Apple Valley.
February 7th, 2012 at 8:56 am
Lori, fought what? That the brightness was controlled? You mean they’re going to try and reverse that decision?
February 7th, 2012 at 10:20 am
I would like to suggest the Lori Kearney’s eyes were so blinded from these Holiday lights that she could not make out the prices on the Copper River menu that she praised so highly.
February 7th, 2012 at 10:54 am
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February 7th, 2012 at 11:16 am
These signs and the blue LED Christmas lights mess with my vision at night something fierce. This is the best news since Christmas lights have been turned off for the season.
February 7th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
I responded to cdmn privately when I approved their comment:
“And to answer your question privately, no, there is nothing more important than responding to the needs of citizens and effecting change.”
February 7th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
I am trying to find the posts where Bill single handedly solved the mortgage crisis, found everyone a job and healed them from being sick.
Bill, can you attach links to those?
Thanks again for that, by the way.
America
February 7th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
When I first saw these– it was on CTYRD 42 & Pike Lake Trail in Prior Lake. I was about 1 mile away on the top of the hill, and I was thinking.. what the hell is that blue light at the bottom of the hill? Police car? Utility vehicle? Space craft? – it makes turning left from 42 to Pike Lake even more of a dangerous with the added distraction.
February 7th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
There are 2 near me. One is at Burnsville Parkway and 42. It’s a simple blue light around the sign. It’s obnoxious and does nothing to make me want to swing in for gas anymore than before (I can plainly see the gas station without screaming blue neon lights).
But the one that really irritates me is at 13 and Nicollet. They have blue neon light trim around the entire gas station canopy and building. It’s absolutely terrible. I’d love to know what was going through the head of the person at Holiday headquarters who approved these. They moved me from relatively indifferent regarding whether to buy gas at Holiday to intentionally avoiding their stations. If this is how they want to advertise their product, I’m not interested in buying it.
February 7th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
The lights at Holiday don’t bother me, but their fuel does. I’ve seen multiple cars run poorly on the stuff.
February 7th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
I live in Apple Valley and thankfully not near the holiday station stores we have in that area. I work 2nd shift in downtown St. Paul every night and every night without fail I am sidetracked when I drive across 35E south bridge heading out of St. Paul. The Holiday station store that is on the corner of Cty. Rd. 13 and 35E kills me every night I drive by! You would have thought I would have realized it by now that it is that stupid store but no. If they wanted to draw attention to their stores mission accomplished–but for crying out loud turn down the high beams please!
Dave F. I am guilty as charged with the LED Christmas lights. We got the pretty blue ones this last year to put up over the house and I agree, it is a lot brighter than I thought it would be! But hey, I guess I have always loved Christmas Vacation and there’s a little bit of Clark Griswold in me thanks to my parents ;)
Bill, thanks for posting about these relevant topics and giving us South Metro citizens a place to go for awesome stories, reviews, and news-worthy topics. I appreciate your hard work!
February 7th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Thanks Jen, I appreciate the kind words.
February 7th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
As soon as they went up I was immediately annoyed. For some reason my eyes are really bothered with that part of the visible spectrum at night.
I’m glad I’m not the only one that noticed.
At any rate, I wonder if Holiday bothered to do any sort of market research to see if people preferred that type of color around the sign. My guess is that it would’ve been an overwhelming no. They could have at least done red or white, that would’ve been less distracting.
February 7th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Blue light tends to be more difficult for the human eye to process, resulting in more eye effort, issues with focusing, increased glare, and generally being irritated by it. I think it was a mistake for Holiday to start using the additional lighting. They city should be enforcing their ordinance for signage and if necessary communicate to business in the area any issues they are finding.
February 7th, 2012 at 8:08 pm
These signs mess with my eyes something fierce, the intensity as well as create issues with depth perception to the point of taking my eyes off the road. The store that bothers me the most is when I turn off of 42 onto Pilot Knob going north in AV/Rosemount. Just a matter of time before someone raises a sign as a reason for an accident, then maybe a city will do something or Holiday will get sued for not conforming to a city sign ordinance resulting in an accident.
Next weeks topic for Bill, lowering your mortgage rate and saving your home from foreclosure. Stay tuned for his March post, how to get a job and promotion resulting in doubling your salary in four short weeks.
February 7th, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Great topic. Those signs are bad. If city ordinances do allow them I think those ordinances need to be revisited.
I drive past the sign on 46 and Garrett the most. The thing is awful. There are houses almost directly across 46 from that one. That must be like living directly across from a massive bug zapper.
Can you imaging how incredibly shitty our streets would look if more stores started putting up lighting like that?
February 7th, 2012 at 9:59 pm
I drove past four Holiday stores in Eagan tonight, but none of them had that lighting.
I’ve been past the one on 13 and Nicollet, though. It’s bright and I see it from a long ways off (especially going west), though I don’t find it distracting when I’m next to it. I haven’t seen the ones mentioned in the post to know how they compare.
But don’t get me started on xenon headlights. I don’t think anything distracts me worse than those.
February 7th, 2012 at 10:01 pm
These signs are worse than those IMO. I don’t pass by people with those headlights every single day.
February 7th, 2012 at 11:28 pm
The obnoxiious lights scream tacky. I boycotted the Holiday on 160th years ago. It is a very convenient location for me. But, Due to the attitude of the employees, the pumps are slower than molasses and now the light are just another reason to continue the boycott. Years ago when the SA was built on Cedar just south of 160th, they had very bright lights around the canopy above the fueling area. There was public outcry and the lights were tamed.
May 18th, 2012 at 7:02 am
[...] are visible from a great distance away causing similar disruptions to the natural landscape like the universally disliked Holiday Gas Station store signs which have cropped up all over town with very little [...]