11-29-07 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Zoning Board of Adjustment

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Board of Adjustment 2/28/08 - #A 08-001 Page 3 of 4 General Concerns: Conclusion: Current regulations are written in a clear manner that enables individuals to understand City Council's intent. 1bis enables Staff to provide the information to others and be consistent in the enforcement of this regulation. This consistency in the enforcement of the regulation ensures no "special privilege" to anyone property. Granting this request would give the appearance of granting a special privilege to the property owner. c) The decision of the Board must be in the best interest of the community and consistent with the spirit and interest of the City's Zoning Laws and the Comprehensive Plan of the City. Staff believes it would conflict with the intent of the regulation and would not be in the best interest of the community or be consistent with the spirit of the City's Zoning Ordinance. The applicant's statement is narrow in interpretation, as it is stated that "the proposed sign is indeed located in excess of 1,000 feet from the nearest sign on the same roadway." Same roadway means Spencer Highway and as stated there is a sign along the same roadway within 500 feet on the north (opposite) side of roadway. The general intent and purpose behind the Zoning Ordinance is to promote public health, safety, and welfare. The enforcement officer's decision in this case would be in the best interest of the community and would be consistent with the spirit and interest of the City's Zoning Laws and the Comprehensive Plan of the City. Visual and Environmental - Several groups such as Scenic America have complained that billboards on highways cause too much clearing of trees and intrude on the surrounding landscape, with bright colors, lights and large fonts making it hard to focus on anything else, creating a visual pollution. Other groups believe that billboards and advertising in general contribute negatively to the mental climate of a culture by promoting products as providing feelings of completeness, wellness, and popularity to motivate purchase. Road Safety - Many cities tried to put laws into effect to ban billboards and cited traffic safety and driver distraction as the main reason. All new off-premises signs are prohibited within the City limits of Baytown, Texas. This prohibition applies to all classification of signs, types, and special function signs used as off-premises signs. Based on the facts and considerations noted in this report, Staff feels the enforcement officer's decision is correct in this case. . Allowing the proposed advertising sign to be located within 1,000 feet of an existing advertising sign (appeal upheld). . Disallowing the proposed advertising sign to be located within 1,000 feet of en existing advertising sign (appeal dismissed).