Chino Hills council adopts interim ordinance banning billboards citywide

The Chino Hills City Council on a 5-0 vote adopted an interim (urgency) ordinance prohibiting off-site advertising signs, commonly known as billboards, citywide.

City Attorney Mark Hensley told the council that a recent review of the zoning code found existing provisions addressing off-site advertising but that the language could be strengthened. "What we're proposing is that the council adopt this urgency ordinance to really clarify that they're prohibited, throughout the city," Hensley said, adding staff will "be bringing back the council's consideration and the Planning Commission and the council's consideration an ordinance to permanently be in place on that topic." Hensley also said some prohibitory language may have been dropped from the code at some point.

Hensley described the measure as an urgency ordinance and stated it "would require a fourfive vote" (as recorded). After the presentation the presiding officer asked if council members had questions; none were raised on the record. A council member moved to adopt the interim ordinance, a second was recorded, and the presiding officer announced, "Motion passes, 5 0." The council's unanimous vote enacted the interim ban immediately.

The council's action places a temporary, citywide prohibition on new off-site signs while staff drafts a permanent ordinance for Planning Commission review and future council consideration. The meeting record does not specify the full text of the interim ordinance, the exact effective date language, or which specific sections of the zoning code will be amended; those details are to be provided when the permanent ordinance returns for review.

The council took no other recorded amendments or roll-call vote breakdown by member names in the provided record. The next procedural step, per the City Attorney's remarks, is staff drafting and returning a permanent ordinance for Planning Commission and council consideration.