Evening star., 1932-05-23
RULES
FAC|NG DANGER Of
PARTIAL SCRAPP|NG
Inspector Roche's Refusal to
Issue Permit Creates
Problem.
WAR ON REGULATIONS
IN GENERAL is FEARED
Rejection of Company's Applica-
ton Serves as Temporary
Stay Of Execution.

Refusal Of Sign Inspector Thomas F.
Roche to issue permit for the erection
of new biliboards on public parking
space in the vicinity Of New York and
Florida avenues northeast, 1t developed
today, has thrust back upon sthe Com
missioners responsibility for "scrapping'
a vital section of the sign regulations
in favor of the local billboard industry.
Lacking specific instructions to issue
such permit-which can be granted
only on an order from the District
Commissioners-Mr. Roche promptly
! turned down the application when II
was presented by the General Outdoor
Advertising Co.. which. on more than
one occasion, has sought to break down
the effectiveness Of the new regula-
tions. The action serves at least as a
temporary stay of execution, meanwhile
! putting the matter squarely up to the
Commissioners.
Referred to Mai. Dram.
The billboard company had received
from the secretary of the Board of
Commissioners last week a letter stat
ing that instructions would be given to
permit them to erect at a site a group
Of new boards to replace old ones serv-
ing as fence to screen an automobile
dump and other unsightly conditions.
Mr. Roche, himself, had received no
such instructions and the letter was
not explicit enough to warrant him to
issue a permit. The company was re-
ferred, therefore, to Maj. Paul v. Dram,
chief Of inspection in the engineer de-
partment.
Whether the Commissioners would
| reconsider the whole matter or order
execution of the plan worked out be-
tween Maj. Donald A. Dawson and the
billboard company, remained to be seen
today
Most of the billboards sought to be
! replaced, it was learned today, have
| been erected for years on public park
| ing space in o street at the intersec-
extend at least 4 or feet over the line
Acquiesce in Plan.
Although the Commissioners appar-
emily are aware of this fact, it evidently
| did not deter them from acquiescing II
| the plan to have these old boards re.
| placed by new type which would es-
cape any possibility of condemnation
| under the so per- cent depreciation
| clause for years to come. 1t was sale
the old billboard fence was erected soms
25 years ago.
The question Of permitting billboard!
at all on public parking space has ariseY
in public interest groups which ar,
seeking to prevent the General Co. from
obtaining this privilege as an entering
wedge to undermine the whole BILLBOARD
regulations. 1t is contended on their be
half that the Commissioners would b
| entirely within their legal rights t,
order the boards down or to have then
put back beyond the limit Of the publi
parking space.
| Submitted Picture Of Gap.
The conditions screened or PARTIAL
! screened by the old billboards at tn
vicinity CT New York and Florida ave
nueS had direct influence on the Com
missioners, it was said, in agreeing t
the plan to erect a new poster pane
fence which would be 20 or IS feet high
As further inducement it wa
learned that the billboard company sub
mitted picture of wide gap between
the billboards in which a wire fenc
gave a plain view of the automobil
! dump behind it. Inquiries develope
that this fence was erected by the bill
board company itself some six week
ago after having taken down a numbe
of old billboards to make way for il
1t was just about that time that tn
company began its negotiations wit
District authorities to be granted spe
cial privilege under the regulations t
erect new type of latticed billboard
on the site.
In authorizing the letter to the bill
board company the Commissioners too
precaution to point out that the per
mission to replace old boards with ne,
ones was not to be applied to any othe
locations. Public interest groups whic
are opposed to any further concession
to the billboard industry. indicated to
day that the Commissioners plan,
finally put through, would be a bio,
to impartial enforcement of the sig
regulations.