California City Considers Banning Billboards

Following the example set by Sao Paulo, Brazil, the city of Encinitas, California is considering a plan to ban new billboard advertisements within the city.

1 minute read

June 6, 2008, 12:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"Members of the public will have a chance to weigh in Thursday on a proposal to make permanent some changes to the city's sign ordinance that would protect its ban on new billboards."

"On April 23, the City Council adopted a temporary "urgency ordinance" designed to close legal loopholes in Encinitas' existing sign laws. The change, in part, allows owners of existing billboards or other signs to switch their message from a commercial advertisement to some other type of communication.

The City Council adopted the urgency measure after someone asked about a permit for a new billboard in town and the city realized its sign ordinance was not constitutionally sound, officials said.

In other cities, recent court rulings have found that sign ordinances are an unconstitutional restriction on free speech if they don't include a so-called sign message substitution clause.

Pat Murphy, the city's director of Community Development, said businesses have used those rulings to circumvent other cities' ban on billboards. "We have been working on a revised sign ordinance knowing that ours was not constitutionally correct," he said.

The new ordinance also states that existing billboards are exempt from the ban, and that the city may consider agreements allowing those signs to be relocated."

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 in The North County Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight