A proposed billboard ban in Hollister has garnered the attention
of outside advertising executives questioning whether the ordinance
could affect local businesses once the Highway 25 bypass is
constructed.
Hollister – A proposed billboard ban in Hollister has garnered the attention of outside advertising executives questioning whether the ordinance could affect local businesses once the Highway 25 bypass is constructed.
Last week the Free Lance reported on a unanimous recommendation by the Planning Commission that the city council adopt an ordinance banning new off-site billboards within the city limits. The article appeared on a Google news alert involving billboard advertising, and caught the attention of Alex Belenson, a San Francisco consultant who works with billboard companies advertising in Hollister.
Belenson expressed concern that when the Highway 25 bypass is constructed, which would divert traffic away from the downtown area, businesses will need to draw people off the highway to the downtown core. This is often accomplished with off-premise advertising, he said.
“Local businesses may not care,” Belenson stated in an e-mail, “or they may not be aware of the impact this ordinance will have.”
Local merchant Ignacio Velazquez, who owns The Vault Restaurant on San Benito Street, said he would be interested in buying billboard space once the Highway 25 bypass is built. He believes this is the wrong time to be limiting local businesses’ outreach options.
“I think the focus needs to be on how do we bring business in and not how we discourage business,” Velazquez said. “This is the wrong time to be attacking billboards. I think it’s a little short-sighted.”
Although Belenson said he hasn’t talked with the clients he works with in Hollister about the ban, he said the issue can become contentious if the local government tries to remove existing billboards.
“Quite often billboard companies will invoke legal maneuvers or get local businesses to come out and protest,” Belenson said. “But typically they don’t fight issues restricting new billboards, but they do protect their existing billboards.”
Although the proposed ordinance will only restrict new billboards, Hollister city attorney Elaine Cass said a new sign ordinance under consideration by the Planning Commission could affect existing billboards.
However, Planning Commissioner David Huboi wasn’t aware of any proposal to abolish existing billboards and said he hasn’t been contacted by any advertising companies complaining about the possible ban.
But he added that he hopes local merchants will attend the next city council meeting, where council members will vote whether to enact the permanent ordinance or not.
“I haven’t got any feedback or flak,” Huboi said. “But I appreciate the story because I want to get people talking about it, to hear what they have to say.”
The Hollister City Council will vote on the permanent billboard ban at its July 5 meeting.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or em*******@fr***********.com
