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City reviews Lamar proposal to convert existing billboards to digital with removal ratios
Summary
Staff described the city’s prohibition on new off‑premise billboards, noted most local billboards are grandfathered, and discussed Lamar’s proposed conversion/relocation options — including removal‑for‑conversion ratios (discussed at 1.25:1 to 2:1 or higher). Councilmembers generally supported negotiating removal/conversion terms with residential protections and TxDOT standards.
Joey Dunn briefed the council on the city’s current sign code and a request from Lamar to allow digital conversions and certain relocations of grandfathered billboards. Dunn said billboards in the city are generally grandfathered under the existing ordinance (no new off‑premise signs), and most digital conversions are regulated by TxDOT standards covering brightness, transition time and emergency message capability.
Dunn summarized Lamar’s proposal as a capped‑and‑replace approach (no net increase in off‑premise signs) with a removal‑for‑conversion ratio; he said discussions had ranged from roughly 1.25:1 up to 2:1 and that Lamar was proposing to remove signs in exchange for digital conversions. “They would agree to remove 2 for, 1 for the ability to do digital conversion,” Dunn said during the presentation.
Staff identified roughly 54 billboards owned by Lamar in the city and noted about 13 are owned by other companies; possible policy options include continuing the current prohibition, creating a relocation/variance procedure, or negotiating a development agreement that ties conversions to removals and site‑by‑site standards (brightness limits, face orientation away from residences, TxDOT compliance). Councilmembers expressed interest in pursuing negotiated agreements with removal ratios (2:1 or 3:1 were mentioned) and strong guardrails on brightness and residential impacts. Dunn said staff will continue discussions with Lamar and return with more specific proposals.
No ordinance was adopted at the workshop; staff requested direction to continue negotiations and bring options back to council.
