Policing illegal billboards
Yeah, that sure was some Happy New Year story.
My colleague David Zahniser's story in the January 1 paper was headlined, ''Banned Outdoor Signs Sprout in L.A.''
A day after a city ban on new outdoor signs, he wrote, some crane operator and other workers were out there brazenly putting up another, one of those plasticized signs that cover most of the side of a building.
Bless the Westwood South of Santa Monica Homeowners Association. Members went out there and demanded that one of the workers hand over his permit for it. He said nothing. So the locals kept taking pictures of the operation.
The sign companies have carroted-and-sticked the city for years, spending sacks of dough on lobbying and campaign contributions, and legally bullying and cowing LA into what is now runaway billboard abuse, the latest being those ghastly lighted digital billboards -- intrusive, offensive, and getting unavoidable. If I wanted to live in a light box, I'd move to Times Square. No matter how rich you are in Manhattan, you can't buy real quiet -- or real dark. I'd say it would be a nightmare for that to happen in LA, but if it did, no one could get a decent night's sleep, much less have a nightmare.
There's a risk that the city's evident powerlessness could nudge a few justifiably outraged locals to vigilantism -- chopping down billboards, tearing down plastic signs. Can you imagine the city prosecuting one of these citizens after it's already gone all spineless on the scofflaw sign companies for so long? I think I'd contribute to that resident's defense fund.
Sign companies must know that it's the perfect time to extend a middle finger to the city's ban. Lousy budgets mean that the city can't afford to do much to ramp up enforcement.
The Times' New Year's Day story says that building inspectors are investigating. Oooh, building inspectors. My knees are knockin' with fear.
In truth, I'm pleased that they're out there on the job but they don't exactly strike fear into the hearts of a multi-million-dollar industry that can write checks for fines more easily than you and I can pay parking tickets.
So how about we put some teeth in this? How about making these illegal signs an actual criminal offense? It won't be building inspectors with hardhats and clipboards showing up to police illegal signs -- it'll be cops with badges and guns. What crane operator will take the rap for the Big Boss then?
Chief Bill Bratton's done wonders with the crime rate, and is a big believer in the ''broken windows'' theory of law enforcement. Why not criminalize this quality-of-life offense and turn the Thin Blue Line loose on the Big Ugly Signs?
Isn't the fact that this is a "multi-million dollar industry" proof that their bilboards ARE effective, and that consumers respond to them positively? If their products/services weren't selling, then they wouldn't have money to burn on ad space. So, apparently, you are in the minority in your "outrage". Don't get me wrong, I think billboards are ugly as heck, but they do work. Lastly, what's the point in criminalizing? If a rapist can get out of jail in a few months, and murderer gets only a few years, then a billboardist is only looking at, what, 20 minutes in the can?
Posted by: Tom Carter | January 05, 2009 at 07:48 AM
Scofflaws, bought-off or browbeaten politicians, a politically correct police chief actually obstructing efforts to enforce the law, officials ignoring the public good so the city can gain a little revenue and the Chamber of Commerce is kept happy -- all this sounds familiar. Indeed, for a second there I thought Ms. Morrison was talking about what is really dragging down Southern California's quality of life, illegal immigration.
I should have known better.
Posted by: Mitchell Young | January 04, 2009 at 06:33 PM
No, all you millions suffering in L.A. stay right where you are. If you spread out into the rest of the country you will just bring the misery with you. With all the criminalty there, it is probably better if the night is not very dark. At least the signs don't make any noise. Your boom boxes and boomboom car speakers are worse than all the billboards in creation. So keep on bellyaching all you want, just keep it there.;
Posted by: Spacegold | January 04, 2009 at 06:33 PM
Billboards equal revenue. How about raising those so called fees on billboards?
Posted by: Robin | January 03, 2009 at 06:46 PM
I love the big electric billboards. Their colors are so intense and they give the night sky a mysterious glow. I'm sure folks who find them offensive now will come to appreciate them eventually.
Posted by: Richard Davidson | January 03, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Why does any sane person remain living in such a hell hole as LA? Take it from me, I left LA in 1982 and never came back. Life is better, far better outside LA. I live in the high desert now and am much happier out here. It's dark at night. I can see the stars. It's quiet too. The Sierra Nevada are right next to us, literally minutes away. Nothing you have in LA is worth the price you pay to put up with the nonesense required to live there.
Posted by: Phil | January 02, 2009 at 01:59 PM