Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-07
POLICE LIST 1,O22
SIGNS IN REPORTS
GIVEN COMMITTEE
Those Not Advertising Prem
iseS' Business Cited-Many
Thought Unauthorized.
NEW POSTERS ON HOMES
AND PARKING BANNED
Plan to Allow Billboard Repairs
Brings Sharp Protest
From Delano.

A police survey of outdoor advertis-
ing signs in all IA precincts of the city,
revealing the existence of 1922 signs
Of three particular types which do not
advertise the business conducted on the
premises where they are displayed. is
being studied by the Commissioners
Sign Committee.
Many of these signs, in the opinion
OF the committee, are unauthorized and
it is with the purpose Of getting rid of
these that the police reports have been
turned over to Col. John w. Oehmann,
Inspector of buildings, for a careful
check with the record of authorized
sites in his Office.
OF these advertising signs, 253 are
billboards, 254 are large signs painted
on walls, while sis are various types of
small signs, usually feet by 8 feet, on
buildings. No effort was made to include
miscellaneous signs in the report, as
this would be practically an impossi-
bility. The report on the whole, COW
er1ng each precinct separately, was said
to reveal conditions in the city which
the committee is anxious to remedy as
far as possible under the new powers
vested in the Commissioners.
Fourteenth Free Of Signs.
The fourth and seventh precincts lead
in the number of billboard units, the
count being IS and AZ, respectively.
while the second and fourth lead in the
number of small wall signs, the former
having 1913, compared with So for the
latter. A few OF the precincts, such as
the fourteenth, are comparatively free
Of these types of outdoor signs.
There are 81 painted wall signs In
the first precinct, but only two bill
boards OF the type mentioned in the re-
port, whereas in the fourth precinct
the number of large wall signs total IS.
The Commissioners Sign Committee
met yesterday to discuss the general re-
vision of existing regulations prior to
the calling of the public hearing which
it will hold the latter part Of this
month.
It was expected the new regulations
would be in shape by that time, so the
Commissioners can scrutinize them
before the hearing takes place. Such
regulations, Of course, are subject TO
revision after the hearings.
Plan New Regulations.
While there are many phases Of reg
ulation which must be defined by the
corporation counsel's Office under the
So-called welfare" powers of the new
law, the committee is understood to
have agreed definitely upon at least
two important regulations. Additional
signs will be prohibited on all premises
in the residential district, and signs
also will be banned absolutely on pub
lie parking.
with respect to the latter decision,
based on a law passed March 4, 1918.
all real estate signs now on public park
ing must be removed also. 1t will be
possible, it was said, to place such signs
on porcheS or walls, provided the maxi
mum projection does not exceed feet
and 6 inches.
Various suggestions have been ad.
vanced as to the regulation Of bill
type used by the organized billboard
companies. None of these suggestions.
it was said, has been finally approved.
the idea being to ascertain first of all
public sentiment in the matter. One OF
these suggestions was to authorize the
repairing of dilapidated billboards in
exchange for the removal of boards from
locations across from public buildings
and parks.
DeIanO Makes Protest.
This suggestion brought a sharp pro-
test from Frederick A. Delano, chair
man of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and president also
of the American Civic Association. A
1CdoCI LII J11C d1lL1-bA41DOdI0 Cd1uRdA6Gs
Mr.. Delano wrote about the matter to
Maj. John G. Gotwals, Engineer Com
missioner. He wrote, he said, to inquire
into reports that the Commissioners
plan to persuade the outdoor advertis-
erS to remove existing signs on private
property, opposite public buildings and
grounds and within residential neigh
borhoods by granting new locations in
commercial areas for every abandoned
rsfA 70 oil 11tll de ~
commercial and industrial areas to be
repaired.
Both the American Civic Association
and the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission have been in SYM
pathy with the policy of the District
Commissioners during the past decade
to grant no new permits for billboardS
in the City Of Washington and to re-
fuse permission to repair existing bill
boards" Mr.. Delano wrote.
1T seems little strange to me that
the Commissioners should be consider
ing any plan to permit new billboard
locations and to lengthen the life of
billboards in the Nations Capital. At
the suggestion of the Maryland
al Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion, the coming authorities in nearby
Montgomery and Prince Georges Coun-
ties have now banned billboards in all
residential and commercial areas. It
will, of course, be some years before
the conforming boards now exist
ing will be abandoned, but it would be
if the policy in the District
Of Columbia itself were less progressive
than that in the environs.
"Few Industrial Areas"
1.-THE least Objectionable place for a
billboard is in industrial areas, but
Washington is not essentially an in
dustrial city and has very few indus
trial areas.
II should be very much interested to
know the number of billboards in resi-
iential areas now facing on public
buildings and grounds, as it may be that
,ur organization could aid in their elm
nation through the pressure of public
opinion" Mr.. Delano concluded.
He added, as a postscript, problem
hat doubtlesSly is perplexing many
District officials: by the way, what Is
he life of billboard?"
Under the 10-year policy which has
prohibited repairs to billboards, many
ire In a state Of bad deterioration.
Rather than extend their life for an
)ther long period the representatives of
many civic associations are practically
unanimous in believing they should be
allowed to rot away.