Rancho Park and Westwood Digital Billboard Update

[Orli Belman]

It seems billboard battles are still brewing here in the Rancho Park and Westwood areas. The latest blow is a lawsuit filed by billboard companies seeking to overturn restrictions on digital billboards. I recently got this background and update from the folks over at the Westwood South of Santa Monica (WSSM) Homeowners Association and added a few links for more info...

 

  Several years ago, a cross-section of residents, business owners and commercial property owners was
  invited by the Council office to participate in an innovative community project.  In a series of meetings the
  group created a framework for an overlay district in our neighborhood to encourage pedestrian-friendly

  business districts on Pico and Westwood Boulevards.  In our area it was called the Neighborhood Oriented District 

  (NOD) and regulated such things as the types of businesses (eg massage parlors would not be
  permitted) and signage (eg signs with moving images).

 

  Before issuing a building permit, Building and Safety is required to consult the overlay district requirements.
  Unfortunately, they did not establish such a protocol, and issued permits for digital billboards in two areas

  covered by such overlay districts.  There were no hearings.  The billboards suddenly appeared.  WSSM and
  other affected Homeowners' Associations appealed the permits.  We prevailed at each hearing, and the

  two billboard companies, CBS and Clear Channel, did not appeal the final ruling.  They have now sued the

  City and the Homeowners' Associations.  They are apparently trying to overturn the restrictions of overlay
  districts, as well as to chill the rights of residents to speak out about problems in their communities.

 

Stay tuned for the latest on the lawsuit.

 

 

 

 

[Orli Belman]

I haven't noticed these signs but will be on the look out. Fortunately, paper signs are indeed easier to remove and probably less of a hazard than an electronic billboard could be.

[Rancho Park Online]

So the billboard companies are suing because they bypassed laws already in place?

[Overland Avenue]

More troubling are the constant illegal signs defacating trees, lamp and utility poles that line Pico Blvd. -- be it Psychic signs, fixing accent signs, or goexpo build it fast and cheap signs.  It makes Pico in Rancho Park look like a ghetto.  Kudos to community members who tear them down as soon as they go up!