Redondo Beach

The City Council extended until March, 1986, an emergency ordinance that bans new large billboards in the city so that the Planning Department can study problems associated with outdoor advertising.

The council unanimously agreed to continue the moratorium on 300-square-foot billboards at the request of Planning Director Harlan J. Curwick. The council imposed a 45-day ban last month.

The emergency ordinance requires that all applications for outdoor advertising be approved by the Planning Commission and prohibits signs larger than 200 square feet and higher than 32 feet. It also requires that signs be at least 600 feet apart.

A representative from Foster & Kleiser, a Los Angeles firm that specializes in outdoor advertising, said the ban on 300-foot billboards, if made permanent, would put the firm out of business in Redondo. The representative said the 300-foot signs are standard size in the outdoor advertising market.

Foster & Kleiser pledged to work with the city in writing a new ordinance that would address city concerns about unsightly advertising while allowing the firm to continue posting large signs in Redondo. The city already has dozens of large billboards, city officials said.

Curwick said the city is concerned that the large billboards may cause visual blight, block views and restrict solar access to neighboring properties, and may adversely affect traffic safety.