Monday, August 2, 2010
Durham Council votes unanimously against digital billboards
It wasn’t the dozen pairs of blinking sunglasses or the parade of nonprofit groups pleading their cases, but a photo of the R. Kelly Bryant Jr. Bridge that may have made the biggest impact on the Durham City Council’s vote on digital billboards.
The graceful pedestrian bridge, which spans N.C. 147, serves as the eastern gateway to Durham and joins northern and southern neighborhoods that had been fractured by the highway. And posted near one of its ends is a billboard advertising the Dixie Gun & Knife Show happening this weekend in Raleigh.
The clash of these two landmarks underscored public and council concerns about the impact of digital billboards on aesthetics and property values—without any proven benefits to offset these social and financial costs. After more than three hours of public hearing and discussion, Durham City Council voted unanimously, 7-0, to keep the current billboard ordinance, which prohibits digital billboards.
Councilmembers had received more than 1,000 e-mails from the public in favor of keeping the current ordinance, which does not allow digital billboards. Less than 10 e-mails asked for a change to permit them.
"This issue has united Durham like no other," said Councilman Mike Woodard, shortly before voting to keep the current ordinance.
One of the 1,000 e-mails was from the bridge's namesake, who asked that Council keep the current ordinance.
"What are we going to do about that billboard?" asked Councilman Howard Clement.
Lewis Cheek, an attorney for K&L Gates, the firm representing Fairway Outdoor Advertising, noted erroneously that only by changing the ordinance could that billboard come down.
Councilwoman Diane Catotti contradicted Cheek, noting that the billboard could indeed be dismantled under the current ordinance—it just couldn’t be replaced.
"Durham has nothing to gain from [the change]," Catotti added.
The Indy will publish a longer piece in Wednesday;s paper analyzing the two-year fight over billboards. It will also be posted on indyweek.com.
Comments (2)
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I really wanted to shout out that Fairway- if they were a GOOD corporate citizen in Durham - would not accept advertising for a DIXIE gun and knife show in RALEIGH next to that bridge.
All the general manager had to do was say "we will relocate that ad before the dedication ceremony". The fact that he did not say that speaks volumes to their true commitment to Durham and its non-profit community.
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Council Member Clement's question wasn't exactly about 'a' billboard at the location next to the bridge, but the particular ad it was displaying ("Dixie Gun & Knife Show in Raleigh") directly next to the new bridge which the Council will dedicate on September 16 to Durham civil rights leader R Kelly Bryant, Jr.
Fairway Advertising's commitment to the common good was put on trial at his question "Who can do something about that billboard?" Lewis Cheek gave the inane answer quoted above, and the Fairway General Manager, whose company owns it [http://tinyurl.com/27lsbmf] and thus can exercise some form of control over what is advertised there (or one would assume), was silent as to a solution.
Really, the idea of a slick attorney-led campaign for industry was also put on trial, as their weak arguments and narrow claims were items of ridicule by night's end.
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