Attention billboard hobbyists: The City of Houston has temporarily lost control of its sign ordinance.
Jim Moriarty, the attorney handling the case for the city, called the current situation a “disaster.”
“Somebody could take a 200-foot banner and run it across I-10,” he said. “It could say ‘Fred’s Cleaners,’ or ‘Out of Iraq Now,’ or whatever.”
The city’s motion suggested that people already are taking advantage of the injunction. Inspectors have noticed banner signs strung casually on roadside poles and electronic signs blinking and scrolling “at a rapid pace,” according to an affidavit by Susan Luycx, division manager of sign administration.
Under the ordinance, electronic messages can only change once every five minutes, to prevent driver distraction.
“We believe the court has made an error,” Moriarty said. “That doesn’t mean that Houston should become the Wild West in regards to signs.”
Sellers of real estate (especially those of you in the ten-gallon hats): You know what to do. Now is your chance.
After the jump, another bandit sign spotted only hours ago near IAH—on wheels!
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- City asks judge to avert ‘Wild West’ of billboards [Houston Chronicle]
