City Council Tries Again to Overhaul Philadelphia's Billboard Regulations
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than a year after first tackling the matter, Philadelphia City Council is moving ahead with an overhaul of the city's billboard regulations. And the changes may lead to more digital signs.
It was in November of 2013 that a Council committee approved a top-to-bottom overhaul of billboard regulations. But, like many compromises, the measure left both activists and billboard companies unhappy and the bill never came up for a final vote.
Now, the measure's sponsor, Councilman Bobby Henon, has amended the bill to address those concerns.
"We have the opportunity to put a good foundation to outdoor advertising -- real regulations that are sensitive to the community, yet be open for business, for the City of Philadelphia to generate additional revenue," Henon said.
After amendment, Henon's bill would call for the following:
- Existing static billboards could be converted to digital in certain parts of the city, as long as the owner removes two other static billboards;
- A cap on how bright digital billboards could be and how frequent the digital signs may change;
- Provides that digital signs cannot be within 500 feet of residential neighborhoods and cannot face a neighborhood within 1,000 feet;
- Higher licensing fees; and,
- Existing non-conforming billboards would be legalized.
Henon says the provision calling for the removal of two static billboards for every new digital is meant to reduce urban clutter.
"The intent here is to lessen the clutter that we have in some of our commercial corridors," he said. "So, some of the (static) panel boards that are in some of our neighborhoods on commercial corridors -- we're trying to take some of the clutter down, and give (the companies) the incentive to convert to digital."
Henon says particularly important is the cap on how bright the digital billboards can be.
"Illumination was a big issue with the communities around the city of Philadelphia, and I think we've adjusted them to a satisfying place with all the stakeholders and the (administration's) input," Henon said.
Henon also introduced a bill that raises the city excise tax on billboard revenue. He says this would allow for stepped up enforcement.
He says there is no need for another hearing on the primary bill, despite the substantive changes, and he will call the measure up for a final vote next Thursday, Council's final meeting before adjourning its fall session.
