Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-11
BILLBOARD ACTION
WARNING is SENT
Park and Planning Counsel
Suggests Conference in
Montgomery County.
BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY,
Staff Correspondent Of The Star.


ROCKVILLE, Md, April 11.-Warn-
ings of an impending storm which it is
hoped viii beautify the roadside scenery
of Montgomery County by the elimina-
ton of unsightly signboards are being
heard in the legal circles Of the va
rious agencies charged with enforcing
the laws.
The companies which engage in the
erection of signboards have been noti-
fed of the acts governing the erection OF
signs by ]. Bond Smith, general coun-
sci for the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, and
the legal paths which violatorS must
travel has been smoothed out by legls-
lation affecting the States attorneys
office, which simplifies the work Of pre-
pairing the information.
Conference Suggested.
Following the sending of his letter
to the large advertising companies,
Mr.. Smith said that representative
Of one of the organizations came to him
and informed him that they were will
ing to remove their signs from the
residential sections of the metropolitan
district of both Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties, provided they were
NSA~A
mercial areas, without too large tax.
However. Mr.. Smith said that he was
not authorized to discuss the matter in
that light, but suggested that the COM
panies make arrangements to have
conference with all the county organ
izations concerned, including the county
commissioners.
While there has not been any notice
able elimination of signs in the area.
Mr.. Smith said that when he found one
sign was being erected in residential
area of the Prince Georges metropoli-
tan district he called the representa-
tive of the company erecting 1t and In
formed him and the work was promptly
stopped. While signs already erected
cannot be controlled. it was pointed out
that permits would have to be obtained
for any repair, and in his opinion re-
painting was repair within the mean
ing of the act.
There have been several arrests made
Of persons erecting signs without the
formality of obtaining permit, but
they have not been pushed because OF
the immense amount Of manual work
involved in presenting the case. For
instance, under the law it would be
necessary for the States attorney to
set out in the information the build
out, involves about eight newspaper
pages. Robert Peter, jr., States attor-
ney for Montgomery County, pointed
out that the last Legislature passed a
bill to correct this, so that when it
becomes operative 1t will only be neces-
sary to refer to the ordinance and Sec
ton by numbers
Permits Realty Signs.
In. his letter to the companies, Mr..
Smith, after quoting the law under
which ordinances were passed. points
out that the latter now prohibits the
- issuance of a building permit in areas
Zoned as residential. This ordinance
provides that sign not more than six
square feet in area appertaining to the
lease, hire or sale of the building or
premises on which such sign is displayed
may be erected, and also that a renew
able permit for one-year periods for the
erection and maintenance of a larger
sign for real estate purposes, may be is
sued with approval of the commission
Joseph G. CiSSel, attorney for the
board of county commissioners, Is PLAN
ming the preparation of an ordinance
governing the licensing Of Signboards
throughout the county, under the au-
thority granted in the 1927 Legislature
He said that he expects to have it ready
next week. This law provides for the
control Of signs by license tax and
Mr.. CiSsel has been making thorough
study of the decisions of the courts in
other Jurisdictions and of the United
States Supreme Court on such matters.