180 Day Billboard Ban

[metro]

City of Oklahoma City announces new 180-day billboard ban

9/17/2007

The City of Oklahoma City announced Sept. 14 the City Council has enacted a temporary ban on billboard permits.
Passed by the council during the Sept. 11 meeting, the adopted ordinance places an 180-day ban on billboard permits passed by the Public Works Department. Existing billboards and permits will not be affected by the ordinance.

During the 180-day ban, Mayor Mick Cornett will appoint a Billboard Advisory Committee -- made up of five citizens and two council members – to review the effects billboards have on the City’s appearance and future growth.

In 2004, the council prohibited new billboards along sections of Interstates 40 and 235 near downtown; the ban is still in effect for the parts of Interstate 40 that will be relocated.

The committee will also work with city staff and billboard industry members to review future regulations and develop recommendations to the city council.

[Kerry]

The best plan I have seen is here in Georgia and Florida. The DOT puts up 6 small signs at almost every exit. They are for food, gas, and lodging. About 1 mile before the exit is one sign for food, one for gas, and one for lodging. All they show is the logo of the available business. The most I have seen is 6 logos on each sign and one occassion there were two signs for food. Once you are on the exit there is another sign for each category with distance to each business. I love them and use them all of the time. I don't even pay attention to billboards any more. Many are out of data so I just ignore them.

Transportation - Right of Way - Program Information - Logo Sign Program FAQ
6775--Signing
Interstate Logos

[CuatrodeMayo]

It would seem much of the news from the city council is quite forward-thinking.

Excellent.

[jbrown84]

The best plan I have seen is here in Georgia and Florida. The DOT puts up 6 small signs at almost every exit. They are for food, gas, and lodging. About 1 mile before the exit is one sign for food, one for gas, and one for lodging. All they show is the logo of the available business. The most I have seen is 6 logos on each sign and one occassion there were two signs for food. Once you are on the exit there is another sign for each category with distance to each business. I love them and use them all of the time. I don't even pay attention to billboards any more. Many are out of data so I just ignore them.

Transportation - Right of Way - Program Information - Logo Sign Program FAQ
6775--Signing
Interstate Logos

Yeah, we have those here as well.

[metro]

OKC Council bans further billboard permits for 6 mo.

September 19, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY – City Hall will not approve any more billboards in Oklahoma City for the next six months.“My personal opinion is that we’ve got enough,” Mayor Mick Cornett said of the City Council’s recently enacted ban on new billboard permits. “The ban is so that we can take some time, work with the industry, and try to figure out if we want a new approach to future use of billboard permits. We’re just taking a breath to see where we are.”

The ordinance was approved by the City Council Sept. 11 with no opposition. During the 180-day ban, Cornett will appoint a billboard advisory committee composed of five citizens and two council members to review the effect the signs have on the city’s appearance and growth patterns. Cornett said he intends to include on the committee at least one person from the local advertising industry to help review potential regulations and make recommendations to the council. Cornett said he was not yet ready to provide names.

“Through the years, the billboard lobby has done a fine job at the state Legislature, and they’ve effectively handcuffed local municipalities in the ways they can deal with some of these issues,” he said. “So this may seem like a drastic step, but it’s really just a response to the success they’ve had at the state level. “We need to temporarily stop issuing permits altogether and then see where we go from here,” Cornett said.

A Public Works Department official said the city has issued less than 30 permits in the last six months and he estimated less than 75 are issued in any year.The new ordinance does not affect existing billboards, and permits submitted before the council’s action will be processed, officials said.

In 2004, the council approved a ban on new billboards along sections of interstates 40 and 235 near downtown. That ban also applies to the new I-40 Crosstown once it is relocated closer to the Oklahoma River.

When asked about other trouble spots, Cornett cited Northwest Expressway and Broadway Extension.“It’s citywide,” he said. “We seem to have a lot I don’t know about the thinking the led to this, but I certainly know how we feel about it now.” Cornett said those accusing he and council members of limiting commerce would be missing the point.“I think beautification is pro-business. And I can’t imagine anyone could look at my record and think I’m anything other than pro-business,” he said.

[Dark Jedi]

Wow. Looks like someone's bribe check bounced.

[metro]

I'm just glad to finally see the city council and mayor do something productive and "forward thinking" as some say. It is a "forward thinking" idea, however I'm not sure how forward thinking it is if other cities were doing it years ago. Heck, I see more billboards in a few miles in one day in OKC than I did driving the entire state of California a few weeks ago.

[metro]

Councilman: New tech compounds billboard woes

October 17, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY – The fact that the mayor’s billboard policy advisory committee’s challenge is already changing just a month after formation is a troubling sign of the times, City Councilman Sam Bowman said. Bowman is one of five people tasked to look into the effects billboards have on the city’s appearance and growth.

To help the process, the council approved an ordinance last month to ban the erection of new billboards for 180 days. Bowman, who said he would like the ban extended indefinitely, said the “sign clutter” problem is being compounded by new technology.“

What we’re going to face from the industry now is a change in the types of billboards, from the old-style printed signs to the new illuminated or LED (light-emitting diode) billboards. I expect that we’ll see a proliferation of those signs being converted,” he said.The LED sign issue came before council Tuesday when Communication Federal Credit Union appealed a Traffic Commission’s decision to not approve an application for a lighted sign on Northwest Expressway. Credit union representative Amy Roush argued that the commission had recently approved an LED sign of similar size for another business.

Councilman Gary Marrs, who initially supported the traffic commission’s decision, conceded to the appeal out of concern that the current business sign policy be administered fairly to all. Council members’ discussion on the topic led to requests that the billboard committee expand its consideration of signage.“So how do we address the whole notion of LED billboards, whether they be on-site at a business location or off-site? That’s the next issue,” Bowman said.

Bowman said the committee will have to find a balance between allowing a business to promote itself with legitimate street advertising and sign clutter that detracts from the city’s beauty. He said Edmond’s billboard sign ordinance is a good place to start, “because they said 15 years ago that enough is enough. And they’ve held to that.”Committee member Brown Douglas of Lamar Outdoor Advertising was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Lamar representative Preston Stinson offered some industry perspective, although he could not speak on behalf of the committee. Lamar is the outdoor sign industry leader in the Oklahoma City metro area.“I don’t think there’s a concern with putting more limits in some areas. A rewritten code is something that would benefit everybody, in terms of clarification,” Stinson said. Current city policies have too many exceptions and special overlay districts to be followed easily, he said.As for any potential benefit to Lamar or other companies from the moratorium shutting down the market and limiting competitors’ access, he said, “You would think that, except for the fact that for the most part the city is built out about as much as it’s going to get.”“Through natural attrition, as existing signs come down due to land owners developing their property, you’ll slowly see a loss of signage over time,” Stinson said.

Other sign committee members represent the city parks commission, the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.


Billboards, business signs and others are visible Tuesday at the intersection of Classen and NW 13th. (Photo by Jennifer Pitts)