The case for not accepting the proposed changes to the Sign Ordinance and seeking a permanent ban on new billboards NOW

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The opinions expressed in these articles and features are those of their author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of McANA or the opinion of its Directors or Officers.

The case for not accepting the proposed changes to the Sign Ordinance and seeking a permanent ban on new billboards NOW
by Norman Pace
[Chairman of McANA's Land Use Committee]

Do you favor more Billboards in Indianapolis/Marion County? That is the basic question in helping you decide whether to support the compromised version of the proposed revised sign ordinance submitted by the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) or to support a “Ban on new construction of Billboards”.

Under the proposed revision of the Sign Ordinance on Billboards, the Billboard companies can still request a variety of Variances to place billboards, wherever. The proposed Sign Ordinance changes for Billboards allows up to 3.5 Billboards per mile. You call that an improvement? Our current Sign Ordinances says “not more than two (2) signs shall be permitted within any one mile distance measured from any point”. Currently, we have anywhere from 7-9 billboards within one (1) mile in numerous locations around our interstates. If our Sign Ordinance of two (2) per mile did not stop the number of billboards, which we see today, just how do you think 3.5 billboards per mile is going to change that? How will this change improve our current situation? It doesn’t.

The DMD letter states that outside advertising signs (billboards) will be reduce by 68%. That is misleading. All existing Billboards are grandfathered. Not one Billboard will come down or be relocated. Those Billboards are the result of numerous Variances, which have been requested by the Billboard Companies and permitted by the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) over the past years.

That is until neighborhood organizations became alarmed and initiated remonstrative actions at the BZA Hearings. Then the neighborhood organizations raised a clamor for revision of the Sign Ordinance and convinced Mayor Bart Peterson to support a “Moratorium” in order that we could revise the Sign Ordinance without interference from remonstrative actions during the process. Mayor Peterson agreed.

This proposed revised Sign Ordinance for Billboards does not change any aspect of the Variance and BZA processes. Therefore, prepare yourself to attend more BZA Hearings if you want to oppose Variances to allow Billboards in locations contrary to our proposed new City Sign Ordinances for Billboards. It will happen. If there is no active neighborhood organization in the area, then up pops another Billboard. It is business as usual for the Billboard Companies. This can be stopped by a “Ban of new construction of Billboards”.

A revision can include fewer restrictions up to and including a “Ban”. A “Ban” does not prohibit Billboard companies from their continued operation of existing billboards. There are nineteen (19) Billboard companies currently operating in the Indianapolis area. One leading company has about 1600 billboards. There are thousands of billboards in the Indianapolis area.

Carmel/Clay, Franklin, and Fishers are a few of local communities that do not allow Billboards. Why not include Indianapolis in this list of upscale communities? Are we something less? Only if we allow ourselves to be.

The example I have been discussing is only one situation. Due to time constraints, we did not address: Removal of Billboards Distances from Intersections Billboards lining the Gateway entrances into Indianapolis Lighting Double/Triple stacked billboards and others issues.

DMD has sent copies to each registered neighborhood organization in Indianapolis. I question this action because most will not grasp the nature of this document nor understand the technical impact of what they are reviewing. I sat on this committee and I have a difficult time trying to translate what it is all about myself. And they want me to endorse it.

Warren Township Development Association (WTDA) and the Far Eastside Neighborhood Association (FENA) have reiterated their position: We support a resolution to “Ban new construction of billboards in Indianapolis/Marion County.”

Notify your City-County Councilor, Mike Peoni of DMD and /or McANA to express your opinion.