MAYOR BILL WHITE ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO REMOVE BILLBOARDS
December 12, 2007 -- Mayor Bill White today announced that, after two decades of legal battles, the City of Houston this year can pass an ordinance resulting in a dramatic, immediate reduction in billboards.
The proposed ordinance allows the City to remove 881 billboard structures consisting of 100% of the 8-sheet poster structures and 39% of the 30-sheet poster structures. After the removal of 66% of its 1,347 billboard structures within 180 days, only 466 30-sheet structures will remain.
Federal Law limits the City's ability to remove almost all of the large "bulletin" billboards on highways and many major thoroughfares.
This ordinance, which has been agreed to by Clear Channel Outdoor, will significantly reduce the number of billboard structures. The ordinance meets the criteria defined by stakeholders prior to the negotiations and includes:
A quick, dramatic reduction in the number of billboards;
A specific focus on takedowns in Scenic Districts and other corridors;
A specific focus on takedowns in neighborhoods and residential areas;
A ban from relocation of billboards into certain designated areas and within Scenic Districts; and,
A balanced reduction of billboard structures throughout the City.
Remaining structures will be upgraded to certain standards and would be required to maintain operating licenses and safety and maintenance requirements as detailed in the Sign Code. These remaining billboard structures can be relocated, with certain restrictions, only twice during the next 20 years.
"We believe this agreement will be another big step toward cleaning up the visual blight in the city, helping us get more signs down sooner," said Mayor White who praised City Council Member Pam Holm, who helped spearhead the negotiations and ordinance.
Without this agreement, 51 percent of these billboards -- at most -- would be taken down by 2013. That also assumes that the courts will uphold the City's right to take down non-commercial billboards.
The agreement would also prevent relocation of billboards into areas, such as residential neighborhoods and scenic districts, identified as deserving of special protection.
This negotiated settlement enables the City of Houston to dramatically decrease the number of billboard structures, immediately improve the landscape of the City and quality of life of our citizens, while allowing economic development.
