Beach moves closer to action on billboards

By Deirdre Fernandes, The Virginian-Pilot – 11/13/2009

VIRGINIA BEACH
The City Council has opened the door to possibly changing the Beach's long-standing billboard policy.

Council members agreed this week in a 6-4 vote to let the Beach's Planning Commission review an ordinance that would allow electronic billboards to replace some existing signs.
Council members Barbara Henley, Rosemary Wilson, Jim Wood and Louis Jones opposed the decision.

The Beach has banned new billboards and repairs on existing ones since 1987, in an attempt to eventually get rid of all the signs. Virginia Beach now has only 30 billboards.
S ome council members, though, said they liked a proposal from advertising company Adams Outdoor to let the city display emergency messages and Amber Alerts on the electronic signs for free.

The Planning Commission will review the ordinance and make a recommendation to the City Council. The council did not give the commission a deadline, but Mayor Will Sessoms said he wanted to give the public time for input.

Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121 or deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com