BSquare Bulletin and Inside Indiana Business report that the Bloomington planning commission has shelved for the time being a proposal to amortize billboards in Bloomington. The decision to postpone a decision was due to concern over the financial cost of having to pay just compensation. Lamar’s attorney presented a Briefing Book at at October 9, 2023 hearing containing:
- Citations from Indiana law pointing out that amortization without compensation is illegal in Indian
- Letters and citations pointing out that the Highway Beautification Act requires just compensation for the removal of billboards.
- A list of not for profit and for profit advertisers who use Lamar’s Bloomington billboards.
- Letters from small businesses talking about the importance of billboard advertising to the health of their business
- Letters from the Cancer Support Community of South Central Indiana and the Hoosier Hills Food Bank talking about the importance of billboard advertising for their business and a letter from a family with an autistic child who formed a special bond with Lamar Advertising and was invited to tour the company’s national headquarters.
The planning commissions next meeting will be November 6.
Billboard Insider’s take: Read Lamar’s response and be prepared to do the same if you encounter an amortization campaign. Cite the law, submit letters from your landlords about the importance of sign income to them and submit letters from businesses and non-profits which depend on your billboards.
To receive a free morning newsletter with each day’s Billboard insider articles email info@billboardinsider.com with the word “Subscribe” in the title. Our newsletter is free and we don’t sell our subscriber list.
Paid Advertisement
