ABINGDON, Va. – The Washington County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 after a short discussion Tuesday night to recommend an ordinance to the planning commission that would ban new billboards in the county.
"I have enough signs in my district to advertise every business in the county," said Supervisor Dulcie Mumpower. "I’ve got all and more than is needed, and I don’t want anymore down [U.S. Highway] 11 or anywhere else in my district."
The debate was touched off last fall when a Glade Spring, Va., entrepreneur won approval for more than 20 billboards, which sparked further controversy in December when the signs started going up along county roadways.
Supervisor Jack McCrady, who has been the most outspoken proponent of an ordinance to ban more signs, repeated his belief – that they can harm tourism, which his district depends on heavily for its economy.
"We need to protect what makes Southwest Virginia beautiful," McCrady said, "and it certainly is not those signs."
In opposition, Supervisor Paul Price said limiting advertising will hurt the county’s bottom line – and locals would be further shut out of a market already controlled by two large billboard companies.
"I guess they’d probably like to see a complete ban, because they’ve done got theirs," Price said of the companies. "So who are we banning now? Some individual born and bred here who might need some extra income and might be in a location somewhere in between these where it won’t hurt."
Supervisor Kenneth Reynolds also opposed the resolution, while Tom Taylor, Odell Owens and Phil McCall voted in favor.
Bill Roop, whose billboards sparked the controversy, said after the meeting he would not be opposed to the ordinance.
"I’m not against it. It’s to my advantage," Roop said. "I think you’re going to hear a lot more from other people. It’s not over."
The proposed ordinance, which would ban billboards in both business and industrial zones, will go before the planning commission in a public hearing at its March 31 meeting.
Last fall, the planning commission voted 6-1 in favor of banning billboards in business zones, but the supervisors did not echo that recommendation in its decision at the time.
The proposed ordinance is on general advertising signs and would not affect on-premises business signs, which currently have no size restrictions, according to County Attorney Lucy Phillips.
If the ordinance is enacted, general advertising signs – or billboards – "would not be allowed in the county, period," Phillips said. "No new signs."
An earlier resolution remains in effect to delay consideration of any new billboard applications until after the issue has been resolved.
dmccown@bristolnews.com | (276) 791-0701
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