Today, I love the Mayor again, just wait 5 minutes tho . . .
Veto of Legistar Item 35036, Creating Section 31.112 and Sec. 31.11(2)(o) and amending Sections 31.1 1(1) and 3 l.05(2)(b) of the Madison General Ordinances to create a process for Adve1tising Sign Banks and Replacement Adve1tising Signs, and amending sec. 3 l .04(5)(k)4.a. regard ing illumination of certain signs.
To: City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl Madison Common Council
Pursuant to section 62.09(8)(c), Wis. Stats., and section 3.03(2), MOO, I return to you Legistar Item 35036, which I have vetoed and disapproved.For forty years the Madison Common Council was a champion of the environment doing its best to limit the proliferation of billboards and to see their removal in an expedited fashion.
I do not have a problem with responsible legislation that allows some billboards that stand in the way of development to be removed and replaced if it is done in a manner that does allow the replacements to continue in perpetuity.
The combination of changes to the existing ordinances creates an unacceptable situation that only encourages property owners to renew lease agreements with billboard companies.
The Regent Street example that prompted this ordinance amendment is an excellent example of this dilemma.
The billboard lease expires in seven years. With no ‘cap and replace,’ the property owner has every incentive to not renew the lease – a lease which is an obstruction to more valuable development.
The result of these amendments is to encourage the prope1ty owner to renew the lease, knowing full well that the billboard company will be ‘bought out’ by the city of Madison with a new location i n a more profitable and visible area. And because of these amendments the new billboard will end up in a location where the city council has nothing to say about the decision. So long as the site selected by the billboard company meets the legal definitions, the zoning administrator, must, issue a permit for its placement.
I strongly suggest that alders, particularly those with districts on the periphery of the city, examine the relevant map to see all of the locations where they and their successors will have no input on the matter. Keep in mind that the billboard company can take down any existing sign, ‘bank’ the square footage, and relocate the square footage in any of the designated areas.
From an environmental and economic standpoint, this is not wise legislation. Two simple corrections, can lessen the impact -put a time limit on the life of the new billboard and allow for council review of the placement.
Dated this 14th day of January, 2015.
Paul R. Soglin Mayor
City of Madison
