The Iowa City City Council voted to amend an ordinance that will ban flashing lights, but not necessarily electronic signs, on taxis.

The altered ordinance passed unanimously in the third consideration at the council’s meeting Tuesday night.

The councilors agreed they would have to further review how to make the non-flashing lights feasible with the Iowa Code, but they decided to keep the ban on flashing lights in the ordinance.

The ordinance became a topic of interest for city officials after a local cab company inquired about the use of electronic signs on top of its cabs as an advertising mechanism.

Representatives from local cab companies asked the council on Tuesday to allow electronic advertising for financial reasons.

“It helps pay for the insurance that is expensive,” said Yasser Gaber of Five Star Taxi. “It helps us to get through this bad time.”

Though the ordinance still bans flashing lights on Iowa City cabs, councilors said they’re willing to discuss the potential use of other non-flashing signs with businesses.

— by Kathryn Stinson