Encino Sign Bill Gets a Boost : Communities Can Be Stricter Than City, It Is Ruled

Homeowners’ fears that a citywide sign-control ordinance favored by the billboard industry would derail a stricter plan for Encino appeared to ease this week.

In a surprise announcement, Eric Ritter, a city planner, told the commissioners that the city attorney’s office had determined that the City Council could not prohibit communities from adopting billboard restrictions that differ from those in the city as a whole.

After making minor modifications, the commission Thursday approved a proposed citywide ordinance that restricts the number, location and size of signs. For example, the measure would prohibit putting billboards larger than 800 square feet within 200 feet of homes and would allow no more than four billboards per intersection.

One of the commission’s modifications was a ban on construction of cantilevered billboards on tall poles or on top of buildings.

Homeowners Not Satisfied

Several Valley homeowner organizations opposed the proposed ordinance, saying it does not go far enough.

However, a spokeswoman for Councilman Marvin Braude, who is pushing the Encino measure on billboards and signs, said the councilman finds the citywide proposal acceptable.

“It’s a middle ground,” said Cindy Miscikowski, Braude’s chief deputy. “Overall, it’s good.”

Miscikowski said the Los Angeles ordinance is not good enough for Encino, however, and that Braude expects the proposed Encino statute to pass.

“We’re going to fight for it,” Miscikowski said. “We think it’s appropriate. We think it’s due.”

Comprehensive Encino Measure

Braude’s proposed Encino ordinance would ban all new billboards, whereas the citywide ordinance would only restrict their size, number and location.

Several communities have already adopted more restrictive ordinances, Miscikowski said.

The billboard industry, which opposes the establishment of different standards for different communities, supported the citywide ordinance as proposed by the Council’s Planning and Environment Committee.

Both the citywide ordinance and the Encino ordinance must still be approved by City Council.