The Virginian-Pilot
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The city's long-standing anti-billboard policy will be tested Tuesday as the City Council gets its first briefing on a proposal to allow digital ones.
Since 1987, new billboards have been banned along with major repairs on existing ones. As a result, only 30 remain around the city.
Councilman Harry Diezel is sponsoring a change to the city's billboard ordinance that would allow electronic ones to replace some existing signs. The City Council workshop starts at 2:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Advertising giant Adams Outdoor wants to install digital billboards at up to three locations.
The company said it will allow the city to display, for free, emergency messages such as Amber Alerts for child abductions, alerts for terrorism events, bomb threats, police chases, bridge closures and hurricane evacuations.
"If it makes sense and the City Council sees the benefit, great," said Doug Lister, Adams director of community relations. "That's what we're hoping for."
For years, Adams challenged the city's billboard rules in court and lost repeatedly.
Some council members, such as Diezel, have said they support changing the ordinance, especially because the company is offering to post city messages.
Others aren't so sure.
"I'm afraid major charges would weaken our ordinance," Councilwoman Barbara Henley said. "It's pretty sound as it is."
Adams gave recent campaign contributions to Diezel, Councilman Glenn Davis, Mayor Will Sessoms and Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson.
The council members have said the money won't influence them.
Diezel's proposed ordinance says billboards may not exceed the size of the signs they replace and cannot be taller than 24 feet. Messages could appear a minimum of every eight seconds. Flashing, scrolling and pulsating messages would be prohibited, the ordinance says.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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Recent Media Coverage
There is a lot of informative media coverage about digital billboards at this link:
http://www.adamsadvcares.com/media.asp
digital signs
If approved, don't just let them install them.
Auction off the rights. Changeable signs will bring more money for the sign company.
Maybe other sign companies would be interested as well.
I actually think the Adams
I actually think the Adams electronic billboards look great.
But the question is, how do they get their updates? I assume they use a cellular data connection?
Billboards
Does Harry get a cut? It's okay for churches and gas stations to have them....but advertisers, NOOOOOOO. Give them their signs and come into the 21st century.
Oh that's precious!
"Adams gave recent campaign contributions to Diezel, Councilman Glenn Davis, Mayor Will Sessoms and Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson.
The council members have said the money won't influence them."
If there is anyone in VB that buys that bogus line, there is a bridge in brooklin that a developer will sell you! VB council members are the most spineless puppets developers can control!
Contributions won't have any influence!
I could have sworn that when I looked out my window this morning toward Virginia Beach I saw pigs flying!
what do the developers say?
That's a question that needs to be asked also here. As for posting city messages, what messages? Like they have anything worthwhile to say that can't be said on local radio or one of their TWO tv stations. This council is funny, has been for awhile. Guess they're excited about their choo choo.