Editorial: Let’s finally get it right this time

Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2002 | 8:24 a.m.

Amonth ago the Clark County Commission made changes to an ordinance that restricts the location of billboards in the unincorporated parts of the county. Unfortunately the County Commission bungled the matter -- and it's easy to see why. Not only were the changes to the ordinance largely written by the billboard industry itself, but the draft of the ordinance also wasn't made public until just moments before the County Commission meeting that day. Even though the County Commission didn't really know what it was voting on, a majority rushed through the billboard industry-written ordinance on a narrow 4-3 vote.

Despite last month's vote, the issue may not be settled after all. At Thursday's County Commission meeting, the commission is expected to consider a "cleanup" ordinance that could resolve ambiguities in the ordinance and possibly result in greater restrictions being placed on billboards than was provided a month ago. At the meeting last month, the county commissioners didn't have the proposed ordinance's exact language in front of them before they voted, but Thursday's meeting will allow them to see what their staff has come up with based on the broad guidance previously provided by the majority on the County Commission. "We should see the ordinance in its full written form and be allowed to discuss it and possibly offer amendments to it," said County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, who voted against the ordinance.

Commissioners Erin Kenny and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey praised the ordinance at the time it was passed. Kincaid-Chauncey even went so far as to say that it "protects the residents better than anything else." But if that's the case, it's curious that their ordinance remains silent on the separation of billboards -- state law requires them to be at least 500 feet apart. The billboard companies actually had agreed to at least a 750-foot separation in a compromise earlier signed off by the industry, town boards and the County Commission's staff, according to John Hiatt, chairman of the Enterprise Town Advisory Board.

Residents have grown weary of the clutter caused by the proliferation of billboards. A new year is an opportunity for a fresh start, however, and the County Commission has an opportunity to redeem its earlier mistake. The County Commission should amend its ordinance once again so that, at the very least, it incorporates the kind of protections to residents offered by the compromise version that places real limits on billboards, which can be nothing more than eyesores for residents who have to live near them.