City Council putting billboard proposals to vote

Diana Sahagun

Monday, June 5, 2000 | 10:04 a.m.

Two controversial billboard ordinances being considered by the North Las Vegas City Council Wednesday have drawn national attention, most notably from Scenic America, a conservation group.

Meg Maguire, president of the national nonprofit organization, has sent a letter to the mayor and council asking the members not to weaken the proposals, which require the removal of signs after 10 years.

She even goes so far as to urge them to consider amending the proposal to ban the construction of new billboards.

The council is accpected to approve either one or the other of the proposed ordinances Wednesday. The first proposal, which was introduced in November, will allow billboards only within 100 feet of Interstate 15. After 10 years all nonconforming signs would have to be removed at the owner's expense.

The second revised proposal, seen as a compromise when introduced last month, will allow billboards within 300 feet of I-15 or within 50 feet of Rancho Drive.

It would also give special consideration to those billboards affected by the removal clause, allowing them to relocate 500 feet from an existing sign on I-15.

But it still states that after 10 years all nonconforming signs would have to be removed.

The removal clause is a sticking point with attorney Mark Fiorentino, who represents the Nevada Outdoor Media Association.

He maintains it is illegal to require a business to remove a sign without compensation and says the city will be sued if it passes either of the proposals.

But Maguire points to the city of Jacksonville, Fla., which has been removing and downsizing billboards for years. The ordinances have been challenged in the courts, but have been upheld, she said.

"The billboard industry has intimidated the public for decades with threats of lawsuits," she said.

Other states take an even stricter approach to billboard control. Vermont and Maine banned all billboards in the 1970s, Hawaii banned them in the 1920s, and Alaska prohibits billboards.

Fiorentino sees the situation differently.

"There is room for compromise, but some members have a mindset that we have to remove all the billboards," he said.