The latest legal battle over the use of billboards on Jacksonville’s roadways appears to be over.
Two bills were introduced to City Council late Tuesday that represent settlements of pending litigation between Scenic Jacksonville, Clear Channel Outdoors and the city.
Scenic Jacksonville is the group that pushed for a ban on billboards in the late 1980s, with a referendum passing to implement that ban and over time remove existing billboards that existed. A 1995 settlement agreement was reached. But, Scenic Jacksonville sued Clear Channel and the city alleging they violated that agreement by using removal credits to construct digital billboards.
Attorney Bill Brinton has fought against the billboards with Scenic Jacksonville for years.
Late Tuesday, he said the settlement does several things, such as eliminate a push for a digital billboard along Interstate 95 south of Downtown. That issue was contested last year during a Downtown Development Review Board meeting, where the application was denied.
Brinton said the settlement also will take down a billboard in the St. Nicholas neighborhood that has caused problems and will take down about 140 Clear Channel billboards over the next decade in 86 locations.
He said roadways such as Butler Boulevard, Wonderwood Expressway and Hart Expressway will remain free of billboards, while corridors like Philips Highway, Beach Boulevard and I-95 will still be able to have digital billboards. The companies will have restrictions on the brightness of such signs and number of locations, he said.
Brinton said the settlement protects the City Charter and neighborhoods and many roadways from the visual pollution, with 23 roadways set to become free of billboards.
Brinton said the companies will be allowed to erect more digital signs albeit with limitations.
Brent Bolick, Jacksonville division president of Clear Channel Outdoor, in a statement said the agreement establishes consistency.
“Clear Channel Outdoor is pleased that this agreement establishes consistent regulations for the sign industry and properly allows billboards in high traffic, non-residential areas,” said Bolick.
The company had no further comment.
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