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Council tables billboard restrictions after industry and resident debate; planning staff to post inventory
Summary
The council tabled an ordinance that would prevent new billboards in Hammond and require nonconforming signs to come into compliance, after City Planning presented a citywide inventory and business and industry representatives urged more flexibility and clearer notice procedures.
An ordinance proposing no new billboards in Hammond and tightening requirements for existing signs was tabled by the City Council after substantial public comment from sign companies and local advertisers.
City planner Frankie Legault said Planning staff had conducted a citywide inventory identifying permitted and nonconforming billboards and recommended grandfathering permitted, compliant signs while requiring nonconforming structures to come into compliance. She said billboards damaged by "acts of God" would be eligible for replacement without a city fee to restore lawful display. Planning staff and a Planning & Zoning Commission member said they had documented locations and intended to notify sign owners of steps needed to comply.
Local industry representatives urged caution. Brett Morrow of Bayou Sign Company and Scott Jones of Jones Signs said billboard operators maintain local businesses and landowner payments and warned a ban on new billboards would reduce local advertising options and concentrate value on existing signs. Wayne Hickson of Hedrick Outdoor Media and other speakers requested spacing standards or other compromises rather than an outright ban.
Sign company representatives also raised procedural complaints about permitting and inspection records. Council and planning staff acknowledged that some permits in the past had been approved without follow-up inspections and said an inventory of photos and permit records exists; staff agreed to post the Planning Department's report and photographs on the city website (with owner names redacted if necessary) so owners could confirm whether their signs were listed as nonconforming.
Council members agreed to table the ordinance to allow time for further review and outreach; Councilman Leon said he will bring a resolution to extend the existing moratorium while staff and council develop more detailed rules. The council voted unanimously to table the item.
