Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
B.P. Molinaro applauds appeals court ruling that City can limit billboards
“Grateful that court agrees billboards are eyesores, visual pollution”
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro -- whose office has campaigned for years against illegal billboards -- today applauded a federal appeals court ruling that the City did not violate the First Amendment by limiting the number of billboards along its roadways and parks.
Companies that market hundreds of billboards had challenged the City’s placement rules for big signs near parks and highways, saying the rules violated the First Amendment. On Wednesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the City’s restrictions on the signs were reasonable. A lower court judge reached the same conclusion in the case last year.
“I am grateful to hear that the court agrees with my office that the City’s goals of reducing these eyesores, improving the overall aesthetic appearance of our neighborhoods, and regulating traffic safety are reasonable,” said Molinaro.
City regulations prohibit commercial billboards within 200 feet of an arterial highway or public park, including signs that appear on building facades and scaffolding. Under a tough new Buildings Department law, all outdoor advertising companies are required to register with the agency and list all billboards within 900 feet of an arterial highway or 200 feet of a park. Signs
found in violation will have to be altered or torn down. Companies that ignore removal orders face stiff fines of up to $25,000 a day.
“Staten Island’s appearance has improved immensely since 1990, when the Borough President’s Office initiated a series of clean-up programs,” Molinaro said. “To date, we have removed hundreds of illegal billboards. Thanks to our efforts, you can see a real difference between the roadsides of the Long Island Expressway and the West Shore Expressway.
“With this ruling, we will work even harder with the Buildings Department to rid ‘The Borough of Parks’ of this visual pollution,” Molinaro concluded.
February 5, 2010