IRVINE : Bus Shelters--Some With Ads--Are OKd

Dozens of covered bus shelters will be built on major Irvine roads under a program approved by the City Council.

Some of the shelters will include advertisements that are expected to generate $50,000 a year in new revenue for the city.

The council approved the plan on a 4-1 vote earlier this month, with Councilman Greg Smith opposing the measure. Smith claimed that shelters with ads do not fit the look of Irvine. He compared such shelters to billboards, which, he noted, are prohibited in most parts of the city.

But other council members said the shelter plan would benefit rather than blight the city. They pointed out that shelter advertising would only be allowed in commercial and industrial areas like the Irvine Business Complex and Spectrum. The ads would not be allowed in residential-area bus shelters.

The plan approved by the council calls for the formation of a committee to decide on a uniform design for the shelters. The committee will be made up of city officials, residents and the manufacturer of the structures.

Most shelters will include benches and trash containers. Some will also feature pay telephones.

Some council members suggested banning tobacco and alcohol advertising on the shelters. But the city attorney reported that such a ban would be difficult to enforce under current laws. Still, council members urged city officials to select advertisers judiciously.