County passes new, restrictive billboard laws

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2003 | 9:55 a.m.

New, more restrictive Clark County rules governing billboards traveled a long, twisting road, but are now in place.

The Clark County Commission approved the rules in three ordinances by a 7-0 vote Tuesday, a move that many hope will be the final chapter in a process that has taken three years to conclude. The rules overturn elements in two previous billboard ordinances.

The biggest impact of the new rules will contract what is called the "billboard overlay zone." The ordinances contract the zone along Interstate 215 from Durango Drive on the west to Valley View Boulevard, and from Pecos Road on the east to Warm Springs Road.

Blue Diamond Road also will see fewer signs, with the overlay zone contracting from Decatur Boulevard to Valley View.

The new laws also establish a minimum separation of at least 1,500 feet between signs along I-215, although the rules allow a 10 percent deviation.

Representatives of various billboard proposals pleaded with the county commissioners not to apply the new laws to billboards that were proposed before the new law came in.

"If we had our way today we would ask you to leave the ordinances the way they are," said attorney Mark Fiorentino, representing the Nevada Outdoor Media Association.

Fiorentino said the industry can live with the changes if necessary, but he asked that pending applications not be judged under the new rules.

But the commission rejected most of the billboards, which are outside the new boundaries of the overlay district.

Billboard opponents, including Commissioners Chip Maxfield and Bruce Woodbury, picked up essential support in the last two months. Former Commissioner Erin Kenny and former Commission Chairman Dario Herrera, both seen as billboard industry supporters, left office in January.

Their replacements were Commissioners Rory Reid and Mark James, both of whom took a hard line on letting new billboards go up.

"I think we set a policy today," James said to explain his opposition to the waves of applications from the billboard companies. "I'm going to have difficulty supporting billboards outside of the overlay."

Clark County planner Chuck Pulsipher said he hopes the years of debate are finally over.

"If this is truly the end of it, I will rejoice," he said.

Spring Valley activist Lisa Mayo-deRiso, who has spent years working without pay on the issue, said she is satisfied with the result of the battle.

"I couldn't be more pleased," she said.