264 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



Questions and Discussion 



LAURENCE JAY AURBACH. I would like to speak from the point of 

 view of local government. The control of roadside uses is almost 

 entirely a matter of local control. 



I would like to suggest that the Federal Government could 

 help local government tremendously by suggesting standards or pro- 

 posing a model ordinance for local governments to adopt relating 

 to roadside control. 



This would relate to signs, billboards, to architectural control, and 

 perhaps have a retroactive effect so it could upgrade areas already 

 blighted. 



The second point that I would like to make is this: this panel 

 seems to assume that commercial and industrial areas that are either 

 used or zoned as such should be excepted from a prohibition of 

 off-site advertising. I would like to contest that assumption. From 

 the point of view of the user of the road, there is no reason to except 

 any area from desirable control. So before this becomes conven- 

 tional wisdom, let's examine this supposition. 



Mrs. RALPH A. REYNOLDS. As far as I know, and as far as I have 

 been able to find out, no State has acted on the suggestion of the 

 Bureau of Public Roads in its standards for interstate highways. This 

 suggestion is that all off-premise advertising signs, that is, bill- 

 boards, be removed and that small-size signs for motorist services be 

 placed on information panels in information sites within roadside 

 rest areas. Implementation of this plan is most desirable for it would 

 give the motorist the information he needs and make billboard adver- 

 tising unnecessary. 



I want to make two recommendations : 



1. That this conference call on the outdoor advertising industry 

 to take immediate steps in those States which have enacted laws con- 

 forming to Federal requirements to implement the information site 

 plan; voluntarily, to remove their conventional billboard signs when 

 the information site is operational. They may find that the informa- 

 tion site will provide a new source of profit, and at the same time the 

 industry can become a public benefactor. 



2. That this conference call on the States which have complied 

 with the Federal standards to implement as soon as possible the in- 

 formation site plan on their interstate highways with or without co- 

 operation from the outdoor advertising industry, and that this con- 



