The Kenton County Planning Commission is considering a moratorium on the installation and use of electronic billboards and changeable signs through Dec. 31.
Although the installation of a digital billboard in Covington created controversy two months ago when critics argued it was unsightly and a distraction to drivers, that is not what's driving the moratorium, planners say.
Rather, they say the proposed moratorium is to give a consultant time to update Kenton County's outdated sign regulations and address new technology such as electronic billboards.
The commission will consider the moratorium at its regular meeting Thursday.
Kenton County's sign regulations were updated about 15 years ago, said Mike Schwartz, deputy director of current planning for the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission.
Since then, he says, the laws have changed dramatically.
There also have been a number of federal cases involving signage issues, including what signs are allowable for commercial and noncommercial speech, and what is and isn't appropriate as far as the placement of electronic signs.
"This (proposed moratorium) is not a reaction to any problem that currently exists or could exist," Schwartz said.
"We just wanted to give the consultant a chance to finish his work. He knows what's been done nationally and in other areas that he's worked with," he added.
Rather than trying to figure out what every city has now, the consultant is advising that a moratorium be put in place "because he feels the question of electronic and changeable signage is the area that's going to be most changed by the regulations he comes up with," Schwartz said.
The consultant is expected to finish his work in three to four months, Schwartz said. After the planning commission reviews the new sign regulations, each of the county's 16 cities will decide whether to adopt them for their areas. Kenton County Fiscal Court would have the final say on new sign regulations for unincorporated areas.
Source: NKY.Com BY CINDY SCHROEDER
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