Next Monday’s council meeting will include a hearing on a bill to amend the regulation of billboards. This issue has come up several times within District 9, especially in LoDo.
The purpose of the bill is to clarify the process for permitting for billboards, because there are some areas that aren’t very clear and several legal challenges have come to the City over the past several years. The changes to the current billboard ordinance include:
- Specify that all billboards must have a permit.
- Establish a City registration number to be displayed on each device.
- Define “modification” as opposed to “maintenance” items.
- Specify that a permit is required for any modification.
- Delete the 1988 tiered permit fee based on square-footage and update the fee to reflect actual costs – $225.
- Establish permit fee is required for any new device, annual renewal, and for any modification of the device.
Billboards are currently only allowed in B-4, B-8 and the industrial zone districts. Any located outside of those districts are nonconforming. There are 550 billboards in the city, and 150 of those are nonconforming. The nonconforming signs may not be changed, other than the advertising sign face.
Assistant City Attorney Kerry Buckey says there are several pending cases involving City-issued cease & desist orders to billboard companies. One has gone through the Board of Adjustment, and the decision was appealed to District Court. Another dispute is in front of the Board, and nine cases have been stayed while the new language is in progress.
If you have any thoughts about this issue, contact Judy or make plans to attend Monday’s meeting.
