After hours of acrimonious charges and responses between Alderwoman Deb Hadcock and Mayor Alan Hanks, the Rapid City Council Monday night revived an ordinance on digital billboards that had been killed in committee.
Supporters of the ordinance turned out in force to advocate on behalf of a citizen task force that crafted recommendations for swapping static billboards for digital signs. According to a story in the Rapid City Journal, the vote forces the Legal and Finance Committee to bring the ordinance back before the full council.
The purpose of the sign code, according to the Mayor, who asked the council to revive the measure, is to reduce clutter. The new ordinance would require sign companies to take down two static billboards for every new digital sign erected in city limits.
Friends of Rapid City Parks is on record in opposition to digital signs in the greenway, and discussion of signs and billboards was a major topic at FRCP’s recent candidate forum.
Read more about the proposed ordinance and the council debate in the RCJ Online.