Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-04
Public Interest Groups 0p-
pose Taking Action Until
Sites Are Studied.
SURVEY Is BEING MADE
IN ALL POLICE PRECINCTS
Question of Repairs May Bring
Change in Regulations-Pres-
emit Draft Unsatisfactory.

Unless the District Sign Committee Is
furnished with completed list of So
called authorized billboard locations by
the time OF its meeting on or about June
IL, Acting Chairman Roland M. Bren-
nan, chief clerk of the Engineer De-
partment, said today the question OF
postponing action on the billboard Sec
ton of the regulations would be con-
sidered.
Failure of the committee to have this
list of authorized sites available for the
recent public hearing was the cause of
protests from Frederic A. Delano, presi-
dent of the American Civic Association
and others of the public interest groups.
Through 10 fault of the Sign Com
mittee itself, the list involved so many
complications it could not be completed
in time.
Eliot Wants Check-up.
Charles w. Eliot, I'd, of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission Is
another who wishes to check the locations
on this list, which has an important
bearing on the billboard regulations. so
the public interest groups believe. Since
the list, when finally approved by the
Commissioners, is to become the estab-
liShed list of authorized billboards, to
which no additions can be made, Mr.
Delano and Mr.. Eliot and others said
they can not tell what effect the bill
board section of the regulations would
have until the authorized locations are
known.
The list Is being compiled from sur
vey of all boards, fence signs and wall
signs in the various police precincts for
which permits had been issued prior to
the enactment of the new sign law by
Congress. The regulations state that on
and after July l all outstanding permits
for the erection and maintenance of
billboards. fence and wall signs are TO
be rescinded and the authorized list, as
finally completed is to be established.
After this is done. no additions can be
made to the list, and once sign is re-
moved from a location it cannot be
replaced.
Would Limit Repairs.
At the hearing the suggestion was
made that the regulations state Specifi-
caliy that no new billboard permits
shall be issued by the Commissioners
and that a clause be inserted which
would provide a more effective safe
guard against the repairing OF existing
signs. Mr.. Brennan said he. for one,
could see no objection to these two
points. although the committee had
felt it had properly taken care of these
matters in the present draft of the
regulations.
So far as the repairing Of billboardS
is concerned, Mr.. Brennan suggested
the section might be changed so as
to prevent any repairs except those which
the Commissioners shall authorize
Under the drafted regulations, repairs
are permitted generally upon payment
Of a SIS permit fee. the permit being
issued by the inspector of buildings who
has general supervision over all permits.
Present Draft Opposed.
When the Sign COMMITTEES meets to
dleft amendments to the regulations.
its attention will be called to the re-
quest made by Mr.. Delano and others
of the public interest groups that de-
cision be withheld from the billboard
section until the authorized list is at
hand.
In its present draft. the billboard
section not only is unacceptable to the
public interest groups which sponsored
the campaign to improve conditions in
this respect but it is considered a
backward step" in that direction. The
fact that the organized billboard in
terests themselves are entirely satisfied
with the section is regarded as an in
dication that the section provides no
more regulation than is accorded at
present.
Unless suitable revision of the bill
board section is made, sponsors of the
campaign declared, further efforts will
have to be made to amend it.