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Bell Shoals Gets Sign

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By TOM BRENNAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 6, 2008

BRANDON - BRANDON - A county land use officer has given Bell Shoals Baptist Church the OK to erect a 19-foot-tall, 15.5-foot-wide pole sign that will flash electronic messages.

James Allen Scarola ruled earlier this week the church could put the sign in front of a new 3,400-seat sanctuary at the northwest corner of Brooker and Bell Shoals roads.

Scarola granted the church a variance to the county's sign ordinance. Without the variance, the height of the sign would have violated the ordinance.

The approval came despite objections by some neighbors worried the sign would create light pollution, lower property values and invite more commercialization of Bell Shoals Road.

"This church is a substantial activity center in the community and has been designed in all respect with a consistent architectural theme to assure community compatibility," Scarola said.

He did restrict when the message board can be displayed to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. The sign must remain dark during the late evening and early morning.

Church leaders said the pole sign was need for safety reasons because a lower monument sign would block driver's vision leaving parking lots outside the new sanctuary.

Church officials and neighbors who opposed the sign could not be reached for comment.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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