Legal

Regulatory Roundup January 26, 2018

Three regulatory issues to review this week. CBS Pittsburgh reports Lamar and the Pittsburg Mayor have failed to reach a compromise on the Mount Washington sign and both sides have presented their arguments in court.  Lamar contents that the sign is in accordance with city law.  The city contends the billboard […]

Transit as Free Speech Battleground; Sessions’ DOJ Joins the Fight

Kerry Yoakum, an attorney, is a vice president of the OAAA The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is taking sides in a First Amendment lawsuit challenging transit’s ability to restrict religious ads. In Washington, DC, the Catholic Church has been fighting a losing court battle, which was prompted by the regional […]

Carlsbad, NM and Artesia, NM reviewing sign regs.

The Current Argus reports that the Carlsbad, New Mexico city council has placed a 60 day moratorium on billboard permits and is reviewing the city’s sign ordinance.  The towns ordinance limits sign size, height, set back and placement but does not limit size. Nearby Artesia, New Mexico has proposed a […]

Rothfelder on a Successful Takings Case

You may have redress if a city misinterprets sign rules to get you to take down a sign.  Richard Rothfelder of Rothfelder and Falick talks here about City of Houston v. De Trapani, a successful takings case he litigated against the city of Houston. Introduction The City of Houston (the […]

The Highway Right of Way Tug of War

By Ken Klein, Executive Vice President, OAAA. A long-running tiff between New York State and the feds over signs on the highway right of way symbolizes a broader tug of war: should existing rules be liberalized or not? In New York State, the administration of Governor Andrew Cuomo spent $8 […]

Minneapolis Not Expanding Billboard District

There is joy in Minneapolis in the hope that the Vikings will be the first NFL team to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium.  Billboard operators did not receive the same joy. Insider reported earlier this month that Minneapolis was considering a zoning code change to expand the area […]

Philly Tax issues

Philadelphia has a 7% tax on outdoor advertising but still wants to squeeze businesses and out of home companies for more.  In 2016 the city decided to try to raise $118 million in additional revenue by reassessing 65,000 commercial and industrial properties, leaving 515,000 residential property parcels untouched.  A group of […]

White Plains renews Clear Channel Outdoor Digital Deal

Lohud reports that the White Plains County council has approved a new five year deal with Clear Channel Outdoor.  Here are the details: Clear Channel is providing 15 digital displays throught the city’s municipal parking system. for the city since 2009. Lease payments will  be the greater of 35% of […]

Orlando Looking at Swapping Static Billboards for Digitals

With a goal to eliminate billboards along the city’s main streets and in pedestrian-friendly districts, the City of Orlando is considering allowing static boards to be swapped out for digital signs. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the City Council is meeting this week  and the expectation is they will approve […]

Billboard Legal: What Happens When A City Changes the Rules?

You need to be careful about spending money to develop signs until you have your permit in hand.  That’s the lesson of Image Media v City of Chicago. Chicago used to have an unusual regulatory process for approving large billboards.  A billboard company which wanted a permit for a billboard […]