Oconee billboard limits could arrive soon

The final shape of an ordinance for a moratorium on Oconee County billboards hasn’t taken form yet, but county councilmen were advised last night that such a restriction is on solid legal ground. County attorney David Root said research shows courts support local authorities restricting billboards for either lessening driving distractions or for aesthetics, or for both. The key, Root said, was that the restrictions had to be content neutral, treating all forms of public expression the same. Councilman Julian Davis believes beautification is more of a goal for Oconee County than matters of distracted driving. Davis said he had no problem with on-premises business signs, and agreed with other members that off-premises signs meeting the county’s size definition of a billboard, from 75 square feet to 675 square feet, were the problem. Paul Cain, who months ago first suggested a billboard moratorium, said he did not favor provisions that allowed currently existing billboards to be rebuilt once the current structure was no longer usable. The proposed ordinance may come before the full Council in December.