Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-22
Committee Drafting Code to
Make Report Soon to
Commissioners.
ABSENCE OF CRITICISM
BY PUBLIC NOTICEABLE
Doubtful Locations Is Only Sub
ject of Contention Remaining.
Sites Thoroughly Checked.

The District Sign Committee, it was
said today, has practically completed
drafting the new set of sign regulations
controlling all forms of outdoor adyer-
Using within the District of Columbia
and Will submit its report to the Com
mlssloners In a few days. Approx al
by the Commissioners is necessary be-
fore the regulation can be promulgated.
Under the sign act by which Con-
gress gave broader powers of regula-
ton and control to the District Com
missioners, month must elapse after
the publicst ION Of the regulations be-
fore they Became effective. In view
of this delay, the Sign Committee is
anxious that the regulatio be pro-
mulgated as early as possible if con-
dtt1ons are to be corrected before the
opening OF the George Washington BIZ
centennial celebration next February.
Business Men Cooperate.
There was no indication today as to
how soon the Commissioners will act.
With perhaps the sole exception of the
billboard section, the regulations have
been singularly free from public criti-
clsm. Business men and realtors have
co-operated to a great extent, with the
result that the general features of the
regulations, as tentatively presented at
the public hearing held early in the
Summer, have been retained.
The chief bone of contention with re-
spect to the billboard section at this
time appears to be with respect to So
called doubtful" or indefinite locations
and clause permitting the billboard
people to repair existing boards in the
commercial and industrial zones under
certain conditions
Public interest groups have contended
all along that this would reverse the
time honored policy of the Commits
sioners, If approved Due to the lack
OF an adequate force of inspectors. the
Sign Committee is aware that number
OF billboards have been repaired during
the past year The commit, ae. it Is
understood. will propose that repairs
Will be permitted, with the consent CT
the Commissioners. if a board has not
deteriorated more than so per cent of
its replacement value.
This Is in line with the present build
ing code with respect to the condemra-
ton Of unsafe buildings
Study "DoubtfuF' Signs.
The Sign Committee has studied
the question of doubtful" billboard
locations from every possible angle.
checked and rechecked all existing
records in an effort to reduce the num-
Der to the lowest possible Assistant
Corporation Counsel Edward w.
Thomas, its advisor, is of the opinion
that the committee cannot legally re-
move these locations from its list of
authorized billbosrds which is to be
established under the regulations AL
though the official records of authori-
Zation cannot be found, it was pointed
out, authorization did exist at one time
and the years in which these sites have
been occupied give the billboards a
standing in court
The only way the Sign COMMITTEES
could cope with the situation. it was
believed was through the willingness
of the companies to agree to abandon
some of these so-called doubtful" sigrs
located in areas close TO residential
districts.
There are some 300 of these signs
A great Majority of them are operated
by the General Outdoor Advertising Co.