Stop Lobbyists From Gutting New Sign Ordinance! On Oct. 18, the City Council PLUM committee will take up the latest draft of a revised citywide sign ordinance. This draft is nothing less than a surrender to developers and sign companies who want to put up unlimited numbers of new signs without taking a single existing sign down in return. The draft would also open the door to advertising in city parks and other public properties, and allow the city to be blanketed with digital business signs without regulations to protect communities from light pollution, traffic hazards, and other adverse effects. An army of lobbyists has been working overtime in City Hall telling politicians that economic development and job creation depends upon plastering the city with greater numbers of large, bright, intrusive billboards and other types of advertising signs. We need to counter that message by telling politicians that a "Blade Runner" vision of our city's future will make it a less desirable place to live and do business. We need to tell our politicians that failing to protect community character and residential neighborhoods from the unwanted affects of digital billboards and building-size supergraphic signs might be a short-term benefit for developers and sign companies, but will have a destructive effect on the city's long-term future. We need to tell our politicians that making it impossible to drive, walk, go to a park or recreation facility, or otherwise move about the city without being assaulted at every turn with advertisements is bad for the social health of everyone. For further details, including the full ordinance text and latest revisions, click here. Below is a sample letter to the PLUM committee members. Please copy and past the letter into an e-mail to committee members before next Tuesday's hearing. Please consider personalizing it by adding your own comments, particularly if you are directly affected by a digital billboard or other kinds of outdoor advertising. Also, please send a copy to your own City Council representative, and to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. (see e-mail addresses below) And if at all possible, come to the meeting. We can be sure that lobbyists will be out in force, and the public can send a strong message by filling the hearing room. When: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Room 350, City Hall
SAMPLE LETTER:
To: Planning And Land Use Management Committee
Councilmember Ed P. Reyes, Chair
Councilmember Jose Huizar
Councilmember Paul Krekorian Re: Council File 08-2020 Citywide Sign Ordinance Dear Committee Members: I urge you to reject the latest draft of the citywide sign ordinance. At a minimum, any sign ordinance revisions should do the following: -
Require the removal of existing billboards at a more than one to one square footage ratio in exchange for any new billboards or other types of off-site advertising signs. -
Provide absolute protection for city parks and other public facilities from commercial advertising. -
Require any pending sign district applications not yet approved by the City Planning Commission to conform to the takedown provision and other future provisions of the sign ordinance. -
Prohibit digital signage anywhere until comprehensive regulations are in place to protect communities from light pollution, traffic hazards, excess energy use, and change in community character. I do not want the areas of the city I work in and travel through to be turned into replicas of Times Square or "Blade Runner." Please do everything you can to protect it for me, my family, my neighbors, and everyone else who loves the city and wants it to be a good place to live and work. Sincerely, Your name & address ______________ E-mail your comments to the committee's legislative assistant, Michael Espinosa, at michael.espinosa@lacity.org and ask that your comments be distributed to the members for the Oct. 18 meeting. Please send a copy of your message to info@banbillboardblight.org. COUNCIL CONTACT LIST District 1-Ed Reyes
City Hall Office (213)-473-7001
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 410
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.reyes@lacity.org District 2-Paul Krekorian
City Hall Office (213)-473-7002
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 475
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org District 3-Dennis Zine
City Hall Office (213)-473-7003
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 450
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.zine@lacity.org District 4-Tom LaBonge
City Hall Office (213)-473-7004
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 480
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org District 5-Paul Koretz
City Hall Office (213)-473-7005
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 440
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.koretz@lacity.org District 6-Tony Cardenas
City Hall Office (213)-473-7006
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 455
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org District 7-Richard Alarcon
City Hall Office (213)-473-7007
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 425
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org District 8-Bernard Parks
City Hall Office (213)-473-7008
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 460
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.parks@lacity.org District 9-Jan Perry
City Hall Office (213)-473-7009
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 420
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.perry@lacity.org District 10-Herb Wesson
City Hall Office (213)-473-7010
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 430
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.wesson@lacity.org District 11-Bill Rosendahl
City Hall Office (213)-473-7011
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 415
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org District 12-Mitch Englander
City Hall Office (213)-473-7012
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 405
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.englander@lacity.org District 13-Eric Garcetti
City Hall Office (213)-473-7013
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 470
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org District 14-Jose Huizar
City Hall Office (213)-473-7014
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 465
Los Angeles, CA 90012
councilmember.huizar@lacity.org Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
200 North Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 978-0600
mayor@lacity.org
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