The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-12-17
SAN FRANCISCO
BILLBOARD LAW
Checks Activity Of City
Spoilers ind Provides a
Good Revenue.

SAN FRANCISCO, December 2.-The
ordinance regulating the height and con
struction of billboards was approved yes
terday by the public welfare committee
Of the supervisors and will be presented
to the board tomorrow for passage
The committee has decided on an annual
license charge of half cent per square
foot, which must be paid not only for
billboards ON the ground, but also for
signs on roofs and sides of buildings
and other elevations, The provisions re-
garding this yearly tax, which is to be
paid in quarterly instalments, are to be
set forth in a separate ordinance, which
also will be introduced tomorrow by the
committee.
The billboard ordinance is lengthy. II
states that ono billboard or other board,
fence, sign or structure erected for all
vertising purposes, or upon which any
advertisement is shown, painted or lis
played, shall be erected or maintained ex-
ceeding in height ten feet from the lower
to the upper edge"
Special Permits Also.
Special permits for billboards UP to
the maximum limit of twenty feet in
height may be granted by the board of
supervisors, however, on written appli-
cation being made if they can be erect
ed and maintained at that height without
danger to the public health or safety at
the location specified in the application.
All such special permits can be revoked
by the supervisors when it appears that
the billboards have become dangerous to
the public health or safety, and these
signs must then be reduced without DELAY
to height of ten feet.
Other provisions of the ordinance are
as follows
All billboards shall be constructed so
as to leave a clear space of at least
eighteen inches between the lower edge
and the surface of the ground All bill
boards must be erected on straight lines
and on lines parallel with the nearest
street on which they face. Their sur
face shall be of fireproof non-combustible
materials within the fire limits, and
either of such materials or of wood at
! least one inch thick outside the fire
| limits. A description of how they must
be constructed so as to make them Sc
cure is given.
Scattering" Is Prohibited.
Other regulations are to the follow
| ing effect: No paper cloth or adver-
Using matter shall be permitted to
hang loose from any billboard, but shall
be securely fastened or glued. All bill
boards on street lines or within three
feet therefrom shall have a smooth sur
face and no nails, tacks or wires shall
protrude. FASTING, painting, mailing or
otherwise fastening handbills, signs post
ers, advertisements or notices on any
curbstone, lamp-post, pole, hitching post,
watering trough, hydrant, bridge or
tree on public street or public prop
erty is prohibited, but an exception is
made as to public officers in the per-
Torrance of their duties. A similar
provision as to putting advertisements
on any property of the city and county
is set forth in the ordinance. The plac-
ing of any kind of advertising matter on
private property without the consent of
the owner, holder, lessee, agent or trus-
tee is prohibited in separate section.
Another section reads: "No person,
firm or corporation shall scatter, daub
or leave any paint, paste, glue or other
substance used for painting or affixing
advertisement matter upon any public
street or sidewalk, or scatter or throw
or permit to be scattered or thrown
any bills, waste matter, paper, cloth or
materials of whatsoever kind removed
from billboards o. other boards men
toned in this ordinance on any public
street or on private property
Permits Are Required.
The ordinance does not apply to real
estate signs rot exceeding twenty square
feet in size or to electric signs, trans
parencies, sign devices, bulletin boards
and clocks, which are described and regu-
lated in ordinance 1909, new series, APP
proved December 2S, 1909.
Building permits for the erection of
all billboards and other signboards GOV
cred by the ordinance must be obtained
from the board of public works, For
each building permit one dollar must be
paid, and no permit shall be assignable
On the top of each billboard the name
of the person, firm or corporation own
ing or in possession of it must be paint
ed, and the name of the person, firm OF
corporation must be shown on the out
side of any wagon or vehicle used by
him or it. The name must also be on the
metal badge or shield to be worn by every
employe of the person, firm or corpora
ton while employed in posting bills OIL
painting signs or bulletins.
BillbOards now erected which do moi
, conform to the provisions of the ordi
nance at the time it goes into effect must
be made to conform thereto by July l
1913. The penalty for violation of the
ordinance is to be fine not exceeding
$500 or Imprisonment not exceeding si'
months, or, both fine and imprisonment.