11/21/2009 12:52:00 AM
FDOT gets lively comments on its proposed pilot program to swap old billboards for new ones
| |
|
By Karl Burkhardt
"It's butt ugly on the other side of that line," said Bill Brinton of Scenic America, talking about the Florida-Georgia border.
John L. Garner of the Florida Department of Transportation was taking comments Friday on a proposed pilot program to remove non-conforming billboards from scenic areas along Interstate 75. It would allow new billboards in less scenic areas
"We view this program as a double-edged sword," said Harvey Campbell, Executive Director of the Columbia County Tourist Development Council. "On one hand, we are a strong proponent of the I-75 beautification project and certainly believe that billboards are a mixed bag. They are extremely important to the economic lifeline of particularly our smaller businesses that don't have the ability to advertise in magazines like Southern Living."
The proposed pilot project focuses on old billboards on Interstate 75, from the Georgia/Florida line to Wildwood.
"It's very apparent to me, as soon as you drive to Lake City, you see the difference, in terms of landscaping, tree ordinances and signage has, in terms of terms of how the area looks," said Charles T. Woods of the Gainesville City Beautification Committee.
"We are opposed to any lighting and, if lighting is in the pilot project, it would be lighting that has no energy impact that would be generated from solar cells and it should be downward lighting so it doesn't interfere with anything else," said John Crescimbeni, representing Citizens for Scenic Florida.
"We think the project should give special attention to Hamilton County because as motorists travel into Florida, down I-75 through Georgia. We all know what I-75 looks like in Georgia, particularly southern Georgia. It's far from scenic and a lot of the ugliness, that visual blight is the product of billboards that are closely spaced, that are stacked as many as three high," Crescimbeni said..
"I think the pilot project ought to do everything it could to eliminate every non-conforming billboard from Hamilton County."
Raymond Session, representing the Florida Private Airports Association, including Cannon Creek Airport, argues against lighting restrictions. "Non-conforming signs, and on-site signs like ours, are used as information to the daytime public and nav aids at night. I wish that you would give some consideration for that. The light has to go up, not down," he said.
The proposal would offer to allow sign owners to replace older signs in scenic areas to put new and larger signs is less sensitive areas. It may allow the signs to be lighted, even when the old sign was not lighted.
"Florida is a tourist destination and we don't need the same standard of ugliness we see in other areas of the country," said Charles T. Woods of the Gainesville City Beautification Committee.
"Fortunately, in Alachua County, we have rigid controls on signage and landscaping," he said. "Marion County is a prime example and I was just horrified when I drove through Marion County with its electronic signs and tri-vision signs flipping and flapping back and forth. If there are to be any new signs, no tri-vision signs, those are absolutely the tackiest sings yet and they are a distraction to motorists," he said.
"We were disappointed when the billboards that blew down in the hurricanes were allowed to be rebuilt," said Meg Niederhofer, representing the City of Gainesville. "We highly prize Florida's natural landscape and love it very much. We are also very concerned about local rule. People in America feel like they need to control their own environment and we're concerned that the state might make rules that allow these huge billboards in places where we have said we want no new billboards."
"There's some good things to this program," said Arnall Downs of Gainesville, who noted she has been a designer for 35 years. "I'd like you to think about the element of charm in the little mom-and-pop boards that you see. I don't think there is an overwhelming necessity to remove every small wooden billboard. I think a lot of them are charming."
She said the small old-fashioned billboards are much more attractive, much more a part of a normal beautiful landscape than a steel monopole with lights and tri-vision that the pilot project would allow. "Make it different from other states. If there is lighting of any kind, make sure it is solar and make sure it faces downward so we can protect our night skies," she said.
At the end of the meeting, Garner noted, "As it is currently proposed, the pilot project would not permit digital signs. The tri-vision issue is being discussed. The department is trying to balance a lot of concerns here. There are beautification concerns. We also have to design a project that has enough incentives in it that the billboard industry is willing to participate. Otherwise it will accomplish nothing," he said.
"We're going to take all the concerns into account and try to balance all concerns and make a final proposal to the Federal Highway Administration."
Garner expects to submit the proposal in mid December. The meeting was at the FDOT Maintenance Facility, 710 Lake Jeffery Road, in Lake City.
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
