Billboard ordinance put on hold in NLV

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 10:23 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council has again postponed action on a billboard ordinance after hearing concerns by an attorney representing the Nevada Outdoor Media Association.

The council Wednesday voted to delay the matter 30 days to allow time for its staff to draft an alternative ordinance.

The proposed ordinance would restrict billboards to areas within 100 feet of Interstate 15 and Rancho Drive.

The North Las Vegas Planning Commission recommended the ordinance 4-3 in September, but not without controversy. Attorney Mark Fiorentino, representing the Nevada Outdoor Media Association, told the members then that if they passed the ordinance, "You are going to get sued, it's guaranteed."

Fiorentino made the same argument Wednesday.

Part of the dispute concerned a clause that requires owners to remove nonconforming billboards after 10 years at their own expense, a requirement called amortization.

Fiorentino insisted that the billboard industry was not opposing the ordinance because it would limit the industry's growth. During his presentation, he said it is against federal law to make owners remove their signs without compensation.

"Flat-out removal is extremely detrimental" to the people who have made investments, he said.

Although Fiorentino has met with city staff to discuss amendments on the size and separation of the signs, many of the council members, including the mayor, said they weren't willing to budge on the amortization clause.