Leader Editorial: Mobile ads are driven out of Burbank

Whether they are an eyebrow-raising push for “Hot Topless Maids” or a pitch for more socially acceptable businesses such as a car wash, signs attached to vans, trucks or trailers that are used solely for the purpose of advertising have been banned by the City Council.

Vehicles used to transport goods, such as your favorite pizza delivery service, will not be affected by the new law.

The ordinance outlawing such signs had been in the works since last summer, when brightly-colored vans started appearing on Burbank streets carrying messages about the $99 topless maid service and Thai massages. The were boldly parked in major commercial intersections here, such as Olive Avenue and Riverside Drive, drawing ire from residents and businesses alike.

City officials said their rather sudden appearance seemed to be tied to a city of Los Angeles ban on mobile advertising vehicles. So they merely moved here, where they could tout their businesses with impunity.

Those days will be in the rearview mirror, now that Burbank’s ordinance has been approved. Anyone violating the law could be looking at a fine of $250 to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

Good riddance to the eyesores. They don’t belong on our streets.