The Watauga County Board of Commissioners put all new
billboards on hold for six months to give the county more time
to review possible changes to the county sign ordinance.
The commissioners held a public hearing Monday morning on the
moratorium, which was originally adopted last June. However, that
moratorium, which was extended once, dealt only with changeable
electronic variable message signs.
The new moratorium also includes traditional billboards, based
on a recommendation by the planning board. Jamie Machut, president
of the North Carolina Outdoor Advertising Association and an official
with Lamar Outdoor Advertising, said during the public hearing
he didn’t believe the county had complete information and
had not consulted his industry in crafting recommendations.
The county planning board had recommended an ordinance change
to regulate digital signs and also ban all new billboards.
Existing billboards could be replaced with digital signs under
the proposal but could not be replaced if they were damaged beyond
40 percent of their value.
Machut’s company has operated 1,500 billboard faces and 15
digital billboards.
Machut said his company operated three local digital signs that
had been built and operated according to existing ordinances,
which currently allow messages to change every eight seconds.
One recommendation would expand that requirement to 15 seconds
per message.
Machut added, the recommendation to nearly double the amount of
time required between message changes constituted a “taking”
that would have to be compensated.
He suggested the county would be liable for lost revenue because
digital billboards would show fewer messages. Machut was also
concerned about a provision in the planning board’s recommendation
that would give the county arbitrary discretion to regulate sign
content and colors.
He also questioned testimony that held such signs were dangerous
to motorists. “There’s no definite evidence that there
are safety issues at all,” Machut said. “I’m not
sure you guys have all the right information.”
Dr. Tara Connelly, Emergency Medical Services director for Watauga
County, submitted a letter saying billboards were a distraction
that diverted drivers’ attention from the road.
She said additional messages arouses a “startle reflex”
and said signs with lighting in the background affect drivers’
fields of vision. The commissioners voted unanimously to extend
the moratorium on digital signs and traditional billboards for
another six months.
During that time, no off-premises signs of any kind can be constructed
while the commissioners review the sign ordinance. That ordinance
was originally adopted in 1985 and hadn’t been revised to
address emerging technology, instead relying on state standards.
The commissioners enacted a moratorium on digital signs on June
23 after receiving public comments about digital signs, sending
the matter to the planning board.
The planning board requested an extension in November, broadening
the review to include a ban on all new billboards in the county.
The second moratorium was set to expire April 23. The new moratorium
says, “The use of changeable message signs is relatively
novel, and the County would like more opportunity to identify,
collect and review all studies and options available, to have
ample opportunity to hear from those in the industry, the DOT
(N.C. Department of Transportation), and the public, and to address
the stated issues and seek consensus.”
The moratorium, which has the power of an ordinance, also says,
“Without appropriate planning and regulation on the part
of the County, the existence and use of changeable message signs
may negatively impact upon public health and welfare and upon
property values within the County.”
Machut said he agreed with the moratorium but asked the county
to consult outdoor advertising industry representatives before
making any final decisions.
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