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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 2, 2004 <br />Action Agen a <br />Item No. -p <br />SUBJECT: Resolution Protecting Community Choice on Billboards and Opposing Senate <br />Bill 1056 <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning & Inspections <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Resolution <br />Senate Bill 1056 -Edition 1 <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Craig Benedict, Director, Ext, 2592 <br />David Fencl, Planner II/ZEO, Ext. 2607 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider adoption of a resolution to preserve and protect the ability of Iccal <br />communities to phase in new standards for billboards and other off-premise signs in order to <br />improve community appearance and oppose Senate Bill 1056 "Monetary Compensation - <br />Outdoor Advertising", <br />BACKGROUND: Recently, a bill was introduced in the North Carolina Senate that would <br />prevent communities from amortizing billboards and other off-premises signs and would also <br />require communities to pay up to five times the annual gross revenue from each sign (minus the <br />placement fee) in order to have the sign removed, Billboard amortization is a longstanding <br />technique that has been used to phase in new sign standards. It was first developed as a <br />compromise to balance the impact of new standards on sign owners with the legitimate public <br />interest in protecting community appearance, Amortization has repeatedly been upheld by the <br />courts when used with a reasonable phase-in period, often six to ten years, <br />The North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association apposes this legislation <br />along with the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the North Carolina Sierra Club, <br />Preservation North Carolina, and Scenic North Carolina, These organizations oppose the <br />proposed legislation for the following reasons: <br />® Local governments have traditionally made their awn decisions about the appearance of <br />their communities. <br />® North Carolina is blessed with beautiful natural places and historic communities. The <br />tourism industry relies heavily on this beauty and character to attract visitors, More and <br />more, communities depend on their community character to draw visitors, and attract and <br />retain new businesses, <br />