County Wins Case Against Billboard Owners: Orders Signs To Come Down

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

eb/billboards.pr 00-74

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

For Immediate Release: February 24, 2000

COUNTY WINS CASE AGAINST BILLBOARD OWNERS:
ORDERS SIGNS TO COME DOWN

Montgomery County officials today sent a notice to Whitehead Associates, Inc., Chesapeake Outdoor Enterprises, Inc., and PNE Media, Inc. requesting that they immediately remove their billboards throughout the County. Since 1997, these billboard owners have been trying to overturn the County's zoning ordinance banning all billboards.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth District recently ruled in favor of the County's ordinance, affirming an earlier District Court ruling. As a result, the County has ordered the affected billboards to be removed.

"Once again the County has prevailed in court to remove these eyesores from our roadways and communities," 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 and remove these billboards from the County."

Approximately 37 billboards still exist in the County, despite being illegal since 1968. The U.S. Court of Appeals case affects the remaining four billboards in the County.

Revere National Corporation owns 33 of those billboards. In separate litigation last April, the Montgomery County Circuit Court ruled that the County has the authority to ban and remove billboards, and a trial is currently scheduled to determine whether the County must pay Revere compensation for their removal.

# # #

News Releases | News