Billboard Debate Continues
Local News
by
Adam Uhernik
last edited on
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday night, the Rapid City Council gave approval for a 90-day moratorium on applications turned into the city for certain sign permits.
Mayor Alan Hanks says electronic billboards change messages every five to ten seconds, giving many messages out from one site, instead of just one like a traditional board.
Hanks says that's why sign companies are requesting to replace static billboards with electronic ones.
But, he says it's creating a loop hole in the sign ordinance.
One person who represents an outdoor advertising company says he thinks the current sign ordinance is just fine, and will minimize billboards anyway.
Brendan Casey, of EPIC Outdoor Advertising, said, "The sign code was sold to us as, it was a way of perhaps letting the market get rid of billboards, meaning if you can run five advertisers on an led sign versus one on a regular static the market would get rid of the billboards."
Originally, Hanks proposed a 120-day moratorium, but many council members spoke up, saying they want to deal with the issue and move on, they don't want it to drag out.