Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15
Commissioners Use Existing
Authority to Keep Down
Number of BiIIboardS.
LIMITATION PLACED
ON REPAINTING WORK
Inspector of Buildings Holds Pres.
emit List Of Authorized Loca-
tions in District "Useless."

With legislation now pending in Con-
gress to provide strict regulation Of out
door signs in Washington, the District
Commissioners yesterday exercised ex-
isting authority by refusing the Cri-
terion Advertising Co. Of Philadelphia
permission to obtain new billboard loca-
tions here in place of those the COM
pany has lost.
The Criterion company, which has
numerous small billboards in the Wash
ington area, had appealed to the Com
missioners for their Cooperation" in
helping the company to carry out OBJ
legations 1t bad assumed to advertisers.
You may continue to make use Of
present locations for which permits
have been issued, provided you main
tain your boards in a structurally safe
condition." the Commissioners replied
to the company, but no further au-
thorizations may be obtained for bill
board locations regardless Of any obli-
New Permits Required.
At the same time the Commissioners
notified the General Outdoor Advertis-
ing Co., largest Of the Washington OPP
eratives, that it would be necessary for
the company ito obtain a new permit
in every case where an old wall sign
is to be reprinted"
This practice" the Commissioners
added, sis considered necessary to OBJ
tain check on those signs being re-
painted, will serve to defray the cost
Of inspection which must be made to
see that the sign Is properly reprinted
and Is not considered hardship or an
unnecessary tax upon your company"
Under existing authority the Com
miSSionerS have not authorized new
billboard locations for years, although
at times reallocations of sites has been
authorized. The General Outdoor Ad-
vertiSing Co., which has agreed to take
down its billboards in a two-mile zone
OF the District line and reduce the num-
Der OF its units in Washington by the
time OF the 1882 Bicentennial celebra-
ton, wrote that recently its men had
been stopped by building inspectors and
police officers and told q permit would
be required to repaint old wall signs.
The company had been repainting these
signs for many years, it informed the
Commissioners, without any permit be-
ing required.
John w. Oehman. inspector Of build
ngS, brought both matters to the at
tention of the Commissioners. The
General Outdoor Co. pointed out that
1t doesn't expect ever to be able to paint
any new wall signs, but as its old loca-
tons are diminishing, due to the process
Of new building operations, 1t suggested
that inspectors be furnished . list of
authorized spaces.
Mr.. Oehman explained that the cur
rent list Of authorized spaces is use
less" due to the shift of responsibility
from the Police Department to the
Building Department some time ago.
A survey Of the whole field of billboard
sites is now being made. The building
inspector explained Furthermore that
the practice of permitting advertising
companies to repaint old signs had be-
come to be greatly abused" and con-
sequently was stopped
The sign boards of the Criterion Co.,
Mr.. Oehman told the Commissioners.
are Of the by type, being considered
as sign" at the time they were APP
proved
This department has refused issu-
ance of permits for more Of these
boards" he said, "inasmuch as their
classification is considered to be a bill
board rather than q sign It Is to be
noted these boards do not advertise q
business conducted on the premises"
Lost Many Locations.
The company had complained it had
lost quite a number Of its locations due
to changes in the classes which the APP
plications covered and which cannot be
substituted
With the enactment. Of the desired
new legislation the District Commits
sioners would be empowered to promul-
gate new regulations for the control of
all forms Of outdoor signs within their
Jurisdiction.
The section Of the proposed law re-
garding licenses and fees, the Commits
Sioners explained, applies to those en-
gagged in the business Of erecting signs,
and does not provide for an annual
license fee for the sign itself. This ex-
PLANTATION was given in answer to a
complaint received that the proposed
law would be hardship on professional
men and boarding house keepers who
usually have q small engraved brass
plate on their outside off1ce or building.