Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29
.G0TWALS WEIGHS
BILLBOARD PLANS
Decision Left With Him on
Move to Construct New
Panels Here.

Maj. John c. Gotwals. Engineer Com
missioner Of the District. it was said
yesterday, still has under consideration
the application for the erection Of a
group of new billboards in the vicinity
Of New York and Florida avenues
northeast.
At a recent board meeting the other
Commissioners turned over to Maj. Got
walls the various questions at issue. with
the understanding that his decision in
the matter would be final Application
Of the General Outdoor Advertising Co.,
which operates all the large billboards
in Washington, had been approved about
10 days ago, but since then the issuance
of a permit has been held up while the
Commissioners reconsidered.
Plans New Type Of Panel.
The billboard company, it was said,
was anxious to establish in Washington
where no new billboard has been le-
gally erected in 10 years or more-a new
type of ornamental poster panel. II
this type met with approval, it was the
company's intention to seek other sites,
under an agreement with the Sign Com
mittee and thus establish them gradu-
ally throughout the commercial areas.
This anticipation was answered by
the Commissioners in their original ap-
prevail of the permit by restricting the
replacement program to one locality.
The site selected for this experiment
was chosen carefully by the company,
it being aware that many Of the boards
it sought to replace with permanent
structures reinforced by metal frames.
were doomed to condemnation. They
not only occupied public parking space,
but some of them were SO per cent or
more depleted.
In anticipation Of being given the
permit to erect new boards, several OF
the old ones were removed. These were
said to be in a rotted condition. Their
removal, furthermore, enhanced the
argument of the billboard company
that a new and taller poster panel
fence was needed to screen the un--
slightly conditions of the lot one OF
the worst in Washington. in that re-
spect.
Approval is Required.
The sign regulations are specific in
stating that once billboard is aban-
doned or removed from an authorized
site, it cannot be replaced except with
the permission Of the Commissioners
This and other restrictions in the bill
board section of the regulations was
designed to prevent any additions to
the authorized list which numbers
some 800 boards.
The new poster panels will be at least
feet higher than the old boards they
are designed to replace. That IS due
to the latticework at the bottom.
MANY of the oil companies IN Wash
ington have reduced the size OF their
advertising signs at gasoline stations
in cooperating with District authori-
ties. Some of these companies, 1t was
learned, would regard as discrlmina-
ton against them any permission that
would let the billboard company re-
place old boards with larger ones.
Mai. Gotwals is giving attention TO
all such matters in connection with
the application. He also Is taking INTO
consideration the agreement said to
have been made by the Sign Committee
with respect to the removal of signs
from residential and Shipstead areas
Mai. Donald A. Dawson, Assistant
Engineer Commissioner, who was q
party to all the agreements made with
the outdoor advertising industry, said
! removal of residential signs was con-
| ditional upon keeping other billooards
| in repair.