By Tom Chryst
Scenic Missouri has sponsored an initiative petition for a proposed law, which will be submitted to the voters at the general election on 7 November 2000, as follows:
Shall Missouri statutes be amended to prohibit the construction of most new outdoor advertising and to further restrict existing outdoor advertising along all National Highway System highways in Missouri; to increase the authority of any city, county or local zoning authority to regulate outdoor advertising; and to prohibit the removal of trees and vegetation located on public rights of way except for purposes of improving aesthetic or environmental value or of eliminating safety hazards?
Scenic Missouri says “The preservation of Missouri’s natural scenic beauty, the promotion of highway safety and the protection of the tourism and economic development potential inherent in Missouri’s natural scenic beauty are valid public purposes and, therefore, the Missouri Billboard Statute should be amended to prohibit new billboards, further restrict existing billboards, reaffirm local authority to regulate billboards and prohibit the cutting or trimming of trees and vegetation on public right of ways to improve billboard visibility.”
Scenic Missouri is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the scenic beauty of Missouri. To this end, Scenic Missouri works with local governments to encourage the adoption of community standards that protect community character, such as sign and billboard regulations, tree preservation and landscaping policies and programs, and high quality streetscape design. Scenic Missouri is an affiliate of Scenic America, Inc. Check out their web site, www.scenicmissouri.org.
