Evening star., 1930-12-15

National Capital park and planning dis
trict exist.
In the area outside this district
there is scarcely half mile along the
principal highways that has not its
quota of commercial signs to attract the
attention of motorists. In addition TO
the billboards there are numerous
posters on barns, trees and other
prominent places.
Within the park and planning dis
trict posters are prohibited and bill
boards are fewer and, due to coming
regulations, constantly will decrease in
number.
Montgomery County, where this stu
alton exists, has running through it
the main entrance to the National Cap
ital from the Northwest-the Frederick
Rockville washington road, over which
thousands of automobiles travel daily.
A large proportion of the motorists are
from other States.
Only half the distance between WASH
ington and Rockville is included within
the park and planning district, the
boundary of which leaves the road at
thesda, runs north to the Rockville
Norbeck pike and east to the Prince
Georges County line.
MenaeeS Landscapes Beauty.
Just across the boundary line on the
Rockville pike billboards increase In
number to such an extent that they be-
come real menaces to the beauty of the
landscape.
The legal prohibitions and regulations
now affecting billboards in the planning
district were enacted recently when the
county commissioners approved a new
coming ordinance for that section. 1t
forbids the erection of advertising
structures, other than signs pertaining
to the general business conducted on
the premises, in residential and COM
mercial zones, leaving only property
zoned for industrial uses available for
billboards. Even in industrial areas it
Is difficult to obtain permission to erect
billboard, since a special ordinance
by the Board Of County Commissioners
approving the project Is required. The
usual procedure of the commissioners
before enacting such an ordinance is
to hold a public hearing to determine
public sentiment.
An exception to the general rule
exists regarding real estate signs. The
| Commissioners, with the approval OF
/ the Planning Commission, may issue
permits for the erection OF billboards
for real estate sales purposes, having
a duration of six months. If the
| property has not been sold at the end
Of the six-month period, the permit
may be extended.
Can't Extend Boards Life.
In addition, signs advertising the
| sale or lease Of property upon which
| they stand or products produced there
on may be located anywhere without
| permission from any one provided they
do not exceed six square feet in area.
The Planning Commission has found
1t legally impossible to do away with
billboards now in existence, but it pro-
hihits the repairing Of boards not ir
industrial zones. Although the sign,
on the boards may be retouched, the
framework or uprights may not bt
painted or treated in any way so a,
to extend the life of the board
BY banning the repair of billboards
the Planning Commission hopes with.
in few years to effect the entire re.
moval of the advertising structure
from the metropolitan area of tn
county, with the exception Of the in
dustrial zones.
Little industrial property exist
where the installation of billboard
would be feasible. One of the frs
requisites Of an effective billboard i
that 1t be located on heavily travele,
highway. There are but three such 10
cations in Industrial zones in Montgom
cry County and the combined roa,
frontage does not exceed 500 feet. A
present, no btllboards are situated Il
any of the three locations.
Posters are prohibited without reser
vation in the park and planning distric
and persons placing them along tn
roadside are liable to criminal prose
cution.
The Star. in cooperation with tn
American Civic Association, viii prs
sent in succeeding articles the situate