The Reno City Council says there will not be any new construction of billboards within its city limits, unanimously approving a new ordinance. 182 billboards are scattered throughout town, and any time one is taken down, the company cannot replace it.
"Staff is very pleased with the outcome from the city council that we won't have any new construction within the City of Reno and that we won't be having digital billboards constructed within the city," Claudia Hanson, Planning Manager for City of Reno said.
Digital billboards have been a controversial topic. Sparks and tribal land allow the digital advertisements but opponents say they are dangerous to drivers and are intrusive to neighboring properties.
"They cast their light a lot farther than just when you drive by on the street," Lori Wray, Treasurer of Scenic Nevada said. "They use too much energy. We call them energy hogs."
The Reno Chamber of Commerce says it is in favor of digital billboards, saying they should be able to modernize as the technology becomes available. Tray Abney is the Chamber's Director of Government Relations. He says there should be reasonable regulations, allowing digital billboards in designated areas along major freeways that could also help with Amber Alerts and public safety. He says the city council's decision also affects more than just billboard owners.
"Billboards are vital for hundreds of small businesses that rely on them to advertise," Abney said.
During the 2000 election, voters approved a measure that would stop any new construction of billboards. The Nevada Constitution says any law or ordinance cannot be changed for at least three years after its implementation, but the previous city council made a change within that time frame. It allowed the owners to take down their billboards, and they would receive a bank receipt in return. It would allow them to build a new billboard when an appropriate space became available.
"As soon as they could, they made changes to it to allow new billboards with new construction and permits," Wray said. "For whatever reason, they thought that was what the voters wanted."
Washoe County District Judge Scott Freeman ruled that the previous city council's ordinance was unconstitutional because the change happened within the required three-year period. 66 banked permits that were granted between 2000 and 2012 were voided, leaving about 20 in place because they happened after the ordinance was revised, five years ago.
"The permits have never been used," Wray said. "They're unused billboard permits."
Wray says the law actually was intended to create attrition. So, once a billboard comes down, it cannot be rebuilt. Reimagine Reno is the city's 20-year master plan. After a few years of studies, many say billboards should not be included.
"The more we transition to a more pedestrian-oriented community, so buildings upfront, wider sidewalks, street trees, billboards really don't have a place in the future," Hanson said.
"In a community that wants to encourage new business, new residents, and have an attractive community which we all want, billboards don't have a place," Wray said.
Lamar Central Outdoor owns most of Reno's billboards and the company is still fighting the ruling. It could still be considered by the Nevada Supreme Court but there is no time frame when or if that will happen. Lamar has not responded to our request for an interview yet.
