Published: May 10, 2008 10:49 pm         

Billboards

Council on track with changes

It makes sense for the city council to put a limit on the number of billboards allowed along the Hoosier Heartland Highway.

An ordinance now before the council would affect the number of billboards that could be erected in what is called the front door overlay district — a stretch of highway from the intersection of U.S. 24 and U.S. 35 to Ind. 29.

The current regulations require billboards to be at least 500 feet apart, but the council has given preliminary approval to an ordinance that would quadruple that distance.

Council members pointed out that the revised distance would still allow 16 signs along that stretch of highway, a number that should be more than adequate to advertise local businesses and attractions.

Certainly, it will be important when the Heartland is finished for Logansport to welcome passing travelers to come into town and look around. There’s a lot here to see. Lots of nice restaurants and shops, parks and other attractions.

And as any billboard company will point out, getting those folks to stop will be important to the local economy.

Nevertheless, it’s important that the city set some limits. Part of what we have to show off is the landscape, and we don’t want to clutter it with an overabundance of billboards.

As Mayor Mike Fincher pointed out during the council meeting, we’ll have a brand new campus of Ivy Tech Community College out next to the Heartland before long. We don’t want to hide it behind a bunch of signs.

After all, folks driving along the Heartland shouldn’t be spending their time reading billboards. They need mostly to be watching the road.

The council will consider adopting the stricter restrictions at a meeting June 2. If you have an opinion on the topic, now is the time to weigh in.