FeedTacoma.com - A community resource by people who live and love Tacoma

Forum Home  |  Living La Vida Tacoma  |  Tacoma's Growth & Development

Clear Channel non-conforming billboards coming down

by fredo on 2/16/2012 @ 1:41pm	I predicted it would never happen...but it is. Clear Channel is beginning to remove some non-conforming billboards. In just the last couple of days 2 of the 6 non-conforming boards in the Proctor district have been removed. It's nice to have some new patches of sky to look at. Thanks to all the advocates of sensible billboard policy here at feedtacoma for keeping up the efforts. Looks like it's beginning to pay off.
by NineInchNachos on 2/16/2012 @ 2:02pm	high-five!
by KevinFreitas on 2/16/2012 @ 2:06pm	Such great news! Have you spoken to any of the workers on site @fredo to find out if it is indeed at Clear Channel's request they're being removed or the building owner?
by fredo on 2/16/2012 @ 2:23pm	Never saw any work crew.    I heard from an unnamed source (let's just call him "Marty") that they were taking some down. I can confirm that they are.
by KevinFreitas on 2/16/2012 @ 2:29pm	If a certain local lawyer (let's just call him "Erik") still blogged here and not just on Facebook you'd already have seen a pic he posted of the take down. ;)
by tacoma1 on 2/16/2012 @ 3:25pm	Finally a little good news in T Town.
by JesseHillFan on 2/17/2012 @ 7:13am	Now the digital ones will likely go up.
by fredo on 3/5/2012 @ 3:31pm	The two billboard faces on top of the Radio Shack located at N. 26th and Proctor are now gone as well.
by Jesse on 3/5/2012 @ 7:56pm	Wasn't the date to conform March 1, 2012?
by Non Sequitur on 3/6/2012 @ 1:26pm	Billboards along SR-509 are now blank. A precursor?
by fredo on 3/10/2012 @ 6:11pm	The Proctor billboards which were removed were not taken down in order to comply with the city code but rather because they were so old they were structurally unsound. The supports were rotten and they were being stabilized with come-a-longs.  Sorry to have report this.
by Jesse on 3/10/2012 @ 6:15pm	@fredo:  So... Clear Channel: Still assholes.
by boearc on 3/11/2012 @ 10:38am	Fred, while the roof-top Proctor billboards may have not come down by the billboard code removal enforcement portion of the code, it is likely that the updated rules and regulations in the billboard code which do not allow for a non-conforming billboard to be improved resulted in the removal decision (so by code, the structure could not be 'rebuilt' as that would be improving a non-conforming structure - therefore, it had to be removed).  Similar removals have happend on other roof-top billboards as well (e.g. 9th and Pacific downtown).  What seems to be lost in the fervor for removal, is that new adopted code allows for code enforcement of blighted structures - so while the City may not be enforcing removal at this time, it does require maintenance and upkeep (just like non-conforming houses, etc...).  So since the moratorium, there has been a reduction of billboards in Tacoma (minor I agree) and no digital billboards (except I-5 on tribal land).
by fredo on 3/11/2012 @ 10:47am	David Boe, thanks for the clarification. yes things seem to be moving in the right direction even if it's at a snails pace. Every non-conforming structure will come down when rot or rust is allowed to interact. I think people are rightfully dismayed that code enforcement against average citizens is taken seriously while code enforcement against companies with staffs of attorneys is neglected. Beyond the obvious unfairness, this arrangement also provides for a corrosive attitude toward government in general. IMO it would be better to move this entire embattlement into the courts and get the issues resolved once and for all.
by NineInchNachos on 3/11/2012 @ 4:18pm	Thanks David Boe!
by Jesse on 3/11/2012 @ 5:27pm	Muriatic acid and a plastic pump sprayer anyone?