Evening star., 1931-05-28
DRAFT OPPOSITION
TO D. c. SIGN CODE
Civic Association Will Submit
Supplemental Brief to
Commissioners.

While commencing many other fea-
lures Ct the proposed new set of sign
regulations, the American Civic As
sociation announced today 1t Is pre-
with the District Commissioners stat
ing In more specific terms the objec-
tons raised by public interest groups
10 the billboard section. which Is far
from satisfactory to them in its present
drafted form.
Until the list Of established billboard
locations is compiled and made avail
able Tor examination, the association
reiterated the suggestion made at yes
terday's public hearing that the Com
missioners withhold approval of the
billboard section of the regulations.
Considering the fact that the regula-
tons declare no new billboard may be
added TO the established list" after
Is once approved, it was said today
that failure TO submit this list at the
hearing, leaves 1t uncertain as to how
strict or how lenient the proposed regl-
l@tionS really are. II the records in
! the building inspectors ONCE were In
better shape with respect to previous
permits issued for billboard, it was con-
tended, there would not now be such
| difficulty in checking accurately on
! each established lccstion. It has been
the established policy since 1909 for
the Commissioners to refuse new bill
! board locations, but with the many
changes in the personnel of the board
i End the practice sometimes INDUCED in
,, OF trading" locations. there has been
encountered some delay In making q
careful re-check.
List Being Completed.
The list is being compiled by the
building inspectors once. the police
snd the billboard company cficers
Since the determination of the au-
thcrized locations is of vital Importance
TO the regulations and the more than
so public groups In Washington that
have protested against the unsightly
conditions caused by outdoor advertis-
ing. the American Civic Association
said 1t believed it was asking very lit
tie in requesting that this list be made
available to the public before the regu-
lations are put into effect.
Examination Of the established
list" 1t was said, may reveal only few
some question IS to their legality. On
the other hand, 1t might be just the
other way around.
It was apparent today that officials oi
the National Capital Park and Plan.
ming Commission and others who are In
terested in preserving the streets from
further DETACHMENT by billboards would
oppose even more strenuously thar
they did at the hearing the provision
which would permit repairs to existing
boards. That provision is safeguarded by
| the requirement OF . permit and pay
ment of q IS fee It was considered
very doubtful II the IS fee would keer
any billboard company from applying
for . permit to repair q dilapidatec
board, especially when such repair,
might add another 10 or Is years of life
to the billboard in question.
Brief Cites Objections.
In . brief filed with the District Com.
missioners, Charles w. Eliot. I'd, oi
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission touched on this point ir
particular and cited other objections tc
the possibility Of confusion arising out
of the separate definitions in the regu.
lationS defining "billboards" and "signs.
1t was the opinion Of some of the
| public group representatives that so lone
as the Commissioners have been granted
the powers Of regulation. they should
state in more or less definite terms the
policy in the proposed regulations with
respect to repairs"
The word repair Is so easily anC
often interpreted as rebuild" or other.
wise "perpetuate," Mr.. Eliot pointed out
| in his brief, that it is desirable t<
define the word and the degree oi
| repair permitted.
Despite the fact that 1t has beer
the policy of the Commissioners to with
mold the granting of permits for new
! billboards, the proposed regulations ART
said to be wholly. acceptable to tn,
I billboard interests. The reason fol
this, It was believed by those who are
seeking more stringent measures to re.
! strict the operations of the outdoor
advertising industry in Washington, Is
because they see advantages in thu
| clause permitting them to repair theil
boards when q $5 permit is granted
! Cites Lack Of Inspection.
That Is more or less the case undel
existing regulations, which until lately
admittedly have never been strictly
enforced due to the lack Of strict In
spection.
Referring to the definition in tn,
proposed code, Mr.. Eliot said he under
stood 1t Is the intent of the Sign
Committee TO differentiate between tn,
billboard and the sign.
THE definition as included in tn,
draft" his brief points out, state tina
q billboard advertises matter remot,
from its origin or point of sale, bu
the same definition does not make clea
that . sign, in the meaning of tn,
committee, is restricted to an adver
tisement Of products sold or Of per
sons doing business on the sam
premises with the sign
Failure to make this clear in tn,
definitions results In some confusion
later in the regulations, and particular
ly when section 3 with respect Il
character Of advertiSing) is reached
believe 1t Is more In accordance will
tat - ~ Of =.