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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Cities Take Aim at Mobile Billboard Blight

This is the monthly column of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association Mobile billboards are littering city streets, taking away parking from businesses and creating blight in neighborhoods. These signs advertise a variety of wares and services, ranging from car alarms to massages. The City of Los Angeles has made several attempts to address mobile billboard blight, but their efforts have been met with litigation and unreasonable requests. Other local governments that have tried to crack down on mobile billboards have met similar legal challenges, even though current law does allow regulation of the signage. The city is currently required to notify drivers of the restrictions on mobile billboards. This could mean a costly mandate of posting warning signs at every city entrance point, an option that has proved to be cost prohibitive and unrealistic. A possible alternative to posting warning signs came from a court ruling late last year that upheld the city’s practice of towing vehicles or trailers that have been immobile for 72 hours on the street, without notice. This allowed the city to again explore a ban on mobile billboard blight. The initial council motion to ban mobile billboards was then amended to be modeled after a successful mobile billboard ban that was passed by the City of West Hollywood. The West Hollywood ordinance defines mobile billboards as “any vehicle or wheeled conveyance, which carries, conveys, pulls or transports any sign or billboard for the primary purpose of advertising.” The ordinance makes it unlawful for any mobile billboard advertising to take place on any street or public place where the public has the right to travel. Exceptions include company vehicles with advertising displays that are operating under normal work conditions and not used primarily for display advertising including taxicabs and buses. Assembly bill Local governments may soon get another tool in fighting mobile billboard blight. A bill (AB 2756) is currently moving through the state Legislature that would ban parked mobile billboards, parked anywhere other than parking lots or structures, within cities and counties. Assemblymembers Bob Blumenfield and Mike Feuer (the bill’s co-authors) were careful to take the City of West Hollywood’s ban into consideration, making it clear that the bill would not preempt any local ordinances that address the issue. AB 2756 also allows local governments to adopt and enforce their own mobile billboard bans. While a business struggling in this difficult economy may be tempted to opt for cheap advertising on a mobile billboard, the public safety and aesthetic costs must be considered as a responsible business owner. The signs are often parked in an unsafe manner that forces drivers to swerve to avoid them. Sometimes the signs even impede traffic and block turning lanes. In addition to public safety concerns, mobile billboards are a serious public nuisance and a threat to the business community. The large signs attached to trucks and trailers can be left for days on public streets, blocking established businesses and taking valuable parking spaces away. How has mobile billboard blight impacted your business? Do you think the ban will solve the problem of mobile billboards? Email your responses or thoughts about the column to [email protected].

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