VIRGINIA BEACH

Opponents of electronic signs were dealt a blow Tuesday night when the City Council narrowly voted not to pass temporary regulations on them as discussed last week.

The result is the signs, known as LEDs, will continue to be unregulated while a new committee - at least the third in a year - will be appointed to wrestle with the thorny issue, a process that could take up to three months.

"They just opened the floodgates," said Nancy Parker, a former city councilwoman who joined about 50 garden club members to protest LED signs. Many showed up wearing flashing lapel pins.

About 20 signed applications which had been on hold will be allowed to move forward, and city officials expect more will be submitted to take advantage of the lack of regulation. Current city rules treat LED signs like regular signs.

There are no prohibitions on flashing, scrolling, video or color, elements some people argue make the signs look gaudy.

The City Council voted 6-5 to wait on new regulations. Councilman Glenn Davis, who made the motion, said it was important that the council get more public input first.

City Attorney Mark Stiles had advised the City Council to get some sort of rules in place while the committee worked out a permanent solution.

Hours before the vote, members of the Green Run Homes Association applied for permits for up to five LED signs ranging in size from 32 to 42 square feet.

"We've actually done it to beautify the neighborhood," said Chandler Scarborough, past president of the association. "The existing manual signs are hideous."