Tempe to create rules for TVs on patios

Darren DaRonco, The Republic | azcentral.com 3:40 p.m. MST February 20, 2015

Stock image of a television.(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Bar and restaurant owners looking to add outdoor televisions to their patios in Tempe will soon face new regulations.

With flat screen TVs proliferating on patios across Tempe in recent years, city officials said it is time to create rules to ensure they don't become a nuisance that interferes with passing motorists or pedestrians.

"Televisions and technologies are becoming a more apparent use in restaurants and bars in our area," said Ryan Levesque, Tempe's deputy community development director. "We just want to make sure we're aware of that and can recognize there's a place and appropriateness in the patio design details."

No particular incident, such as a spike traffic accidents caused by patio televisions or a business installing an inordinate amount of TVs, led officials to seek new regulations, he said. The city just wants to get ahead of the issue to avoid potential problems.

The rules will not be part of a new ordinance, but instead will be on the checklist when a business submits design plans for approval. While nothing is definitive, some of the new rules could involve how much light a TV emits, where a TV is placed within a patio and whether it's installed safely.

"That way someone doesn't have to worry after the fact that it was installed improperly," Levesque said. "We're just trying to clarify that."

On Feb. 19, the City Council directed staff at the Community Development Department to create and implement new rules, which won't apply retroactively to existing businesses with patio televisions. It's not clear when they would take effect.

Bar owners said they hope the regulations won't diminish an Arizona tradition.

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Tempe to create rules for TVs on patios