Billboard Foes On LA Councilman Huizar: Betrayed!

LA’S NEIGHBORHOODS-When Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar ran for reelection this year, he positioned himself as someone who would stand up to the powerful billboard industry, which has sued the city repeatedly for the right to install more signs. 

Facing a challenge from veteran Eastside politician Gloria Molina, Huizar said he opposed amnesty for hundreds of unpermitted billboards. And he talked up his work in drafting an ordinance that would reduce by 90% the number of locations where new billboards could go, limiting them to special "sign districts," such as Hollywood or parts of downtown. 

If [Huizar] turns around now and votes for amnesty ... he's demonstrating that his campaign statements are worthless.- Dennis Hathaway, president of the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight 

Huizar easily won his race. But two weeks ago, a council committee that he heads sent proposals to the Planning Commission that, if approved, would run contrary to stances he took as a candidate. 

That has some billboard foes worried that he is about to abandon the commitments he made during his campaign. 

Huizar and his colleagues asked the commission to consider a proposal for granting amnesty for 937 billboards, signs that either have no permit on file or no written permission for an alteration. The councilman's Planning and Land Use Management Committee also asked the commission to look at letting new digital billboards go up outside sign districts as long as they have what's known as a conditional use permit.  (Read the rest here.)  

-cw

 

 

 

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 57

Pub: Jul 14, 2015