Senate Tables Billboard Plan

The state Senate on Tuesday postponed indefinitely consideration of a bill that would encourage more billboards along California freeways.

The bill, which has already passed the Assembly, is backed by billboard interests and associations of local governments, including the California League of Cities.

Its key provision would give cash-starved cities and school boards an incentive to go into partnerships with billboard companies.

State law generally prohibits billboards along the 80% of California freeways with landscaped greenery along their borders.

The bill would allow signs to be placed on properties adjacent to landscaped freeways, including city streets, that are owned by local governments.

The bill was the brainchild of lobbyist Ken Spiker Jr., who has represented a billboard company, Regency Outdoor Advertising, in stalled efforts to make a similar deal with the city of Lynwood for signs along the Century Freeway.

Carried by Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach), the bill was pulled from a Senate Transportation Committee hearing calendar after opposition from the Davis administration.

Caltrans released a letter opposing the bill and registering an objection from the Federal Highway Administration. Both agencies said the bill would violate federal highway beautification law and jeopardize $210 million of the $2.1 billion that the state gets in federal highway funding each year.

Oropeza’s office said that, in light of the opposition, she met with Transportation Committee Chairman Kevin Murray and they decided to postpone its consideration. Oropeza’s office said Murray promised to schedule a fact-finding hearing on the measure in the fall.

Advertising in city redevelopment zones is tightly regulated, and signs are permitted only for businesses developed in the zones. Under the Oropeza bill, billboards would be allowed to carry advertisements for any product sold in any store in the zones.