“Special Signs:”

A Walk Through

The Yellow PagesThe Yellow PagesIn Your Nation’s Capital

Testimony of Meg Maguire, Committee of 100 on the Federal City to

Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs DC City Council - February 18, 2010

What makes Special Signs so “Special”?

#1: Is it because “Special Signs” are

‘Specially Large‘Specially Large?

1,500 - 10,000 square feet =5x to 33x larger

than the legal size (300 sf) of the old DC billboards that Congress

wanted to get rid of in 1931!

#2: Is it because “Special Signs” are ‘Specially Ugly?

#3: Is it because Special Signs are

‘Specially Lucrative for a few private owners…But not for the rest of us?

In truth:“Special Signs” areSPECIOUS SIGNS…

They’re LITTER ON A STICK!

What have we done toNew York Avenue???!!

What happened to the dream of beautiful gateways into

our city?

Or to the first rule of respect for our city’s

buildings?

We’ve got a problem….

And the Nickles Resolutionwill make the problem worse.

We respectfully request the DC City Council to:

1. Reject the needless Nickles Resolution to permit more special signs (new billboards) in exchange for removal of older billboards.

2. Reject Councilman Thomas’ bill to permit special signs in Ward 5.

Protect our scenic vistas and community character.

3. Examine all sign ordinances (including those affecting special signs, old billboards and electronic signs) and their impact on our beautiful city and quality of life.

4. Consider the legislation published by DCRA in December as a constructive starting point.

We wish to thank the Department of Consumer and

Regulatory Affairs….• For its leadership last December in

removing 5 detested billboards in Shaw and NE;

• For promulgating constructive legislation to control signs over time; and

• For upgrading data collection, establishing a photo inventory (from which

the slides in this presentation are taken), cracking down on enforcement and inviting public monitoring of violations.