Not quite a banner day in Surf City
Jose Paul Corona
Wayne LaVigne is not a happy man.
He’s upset with the City Council’s decision to pass an ordinance
that would prohibit banner-towing planes from flying over the city.
The businessman and owner of What A Lot A Pizza believes that by
banning the planes from flying over the city, the council is limiting
his advertising choices.
“I don’t understand their motivation,” he said, “People like them,
they love to see it.”
While some may dispute his claim, LaVigne says he has conducted
several surveys to see how the community responds to the planes and
his results have always been very positive, he said.
Councilwoman Connie Boardman introduced the ordinance at the last
council meeting.
She did so at the repeated requests of many members of the
community, she said.
“Its been an issue since well before I was on the council,”
Boardman said.
Residents throughout the city, particularly those living Downtown
and in Huntington Harbour have been vocal about their feelings for
the planes.
One of those residents is Nancy Gibson. She’s lived in Huntington
Beach for 32 years and the noise seems to have gotten worse and worse
over the years, she said. The activity has especially increased in
the past few years, she said.
“The planes are definitely disruptive to our quality of life,” she
said.
Even though residents have complained about the planes for quite
some time, city officials were under the impression that they could
do nothing to prevent the planes from flying over the city. It was
thought that the planes fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal
Aviation Administration, Boardman said.
That changed in January when Judge Helen Gillmor of the 9th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a Honolulu ordinance
that gave cities the right to regulate aerial advertising.
Boardman cited that ruling at the last council meeting and
suggested that Huntington Beach adopt a similar ordinance.
The proposed ordinance is based on Honolulu’s ordinance and is
currently being reviewed by the City Attorney’s office.
It will be brought back before the council at the end of the
month.
LaVigne and other business owners, who disagree with the ordinance
will have an opportunity to address the council at that time
regarding the matter.
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