Cape Coral City Council could crack down on storefront LED light displays

Cape Coral could crackdown on how businesses choose to light their storefronts. You’ve probably seen LED light strips on shops in Cape Coral. Now, the city could limit this kind of display.

But, business owners say these lights give their stores life. WINK News reporter Michelle Alvarez spoke with business owners and drivers about the lights. There was a small sample size, but not one person said the lights bother them.

Driving through Cape Coral means you’ll see businesses with strings of lights in their windows. Some Cape Coral City Council members said they don’t like the way it looks and worry it will distract drivers.

So, they’re debating whether to make these lights illegal or not.

Matt Whilke lives in Cape Coral. “I feel like businesses need to have something to kind of set them apart. Especially in these plazas. Kind of set them apart from, you know, the other restaurants or businesses that are in there,” said Whilke.

Shannon Dexter lives in Cape Coral and says fewer rules, more fun. “This is Cape Coral. It’s a big 55 and over community, and there’s too many rules. They should cut back a little bit and just let people live their life,” said Dexter.

Isbell Rodriguez owns Cubay Restaurant in the Cape. She’s not too keen on the proposed rule change. “The truth is that this does not affect anything, nothing to the driver. On the contrary, it gives life to the city. I think that we draw a little attention also with the lights,” Rodriguez said.

On top of that, it isn’t cheap to buy or install the lights. “We pay for that. I mean, it is not something that you put up, and that’s it. It is something that that one has to invest in,” said Rodriguez.

After the council talks about the lighting issue on Wednesday night, they will hold a public hearing on the proposed regulations.