County Wins Billboard Case; Court Denies Claim For Damages

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

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Contact: Clifford L. Royalty, 240-777-6739
David Weaver, 240-777-6530
david.weaver@montgomerycountymd.gov

For Immediate Release: March 29, 2000

COUNTY WINS BILLBOARD CASE;
COURT DENIES CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

Montgomery County officials today won a case in Montgomery County Circuit Court upholding the County's authority to ban billboards and denying claims for damages brought by Eller Media Company, formerly known as Revere National Corporation. Eller claimed they should be compensated $4.4 million for removing 34 billboards banned by County law.

"Today's decision rejected the billboard industry's claim that it should be compensated for continuing an activity that was outlawed years ago," said Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. "Billboard owners have had their day in court, and now it is time to comply with the law, remove these billboards from the County, and stop asking the taxpayers to subsidize them."

The Court ruled that Eller is not entitled to compensation for removing the billboards because the company has earned sufficient revenue over the years to more than recoup their investment.

Approximately 38 billboards still exist in the County, despite being illegal since 1968. A February U.S. Court of Appeals decision ordered four of those billboards, owned by other companies, removed. Eller owns the remaining billboards.

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