HUNI Supports Prop 349, Urges Compromise Between City and Billboard Lobby

HUNI urges the City to pass Proposal 349, 2024, which represents a compromise between the City of Indianapolis and the outdoor advertising ("billboard") industry lobbyists—as requested by the state legislature.

After vigorous and numerous conversations with the City, several large Neighborhood Organizations agreed to the Prop 349 Compromise language in order to stave off further state legislation that would almost surely erode Indianapolis' billboard regulations so we can maintain home rule.

We need your help now. Read a short background below.

We need your help

Let the Councillors know that our community backs our billboard regulations but will support the Prop 349 Compromise so that OUR community gets to make OUR OWN laws. You can find your councillor here.

 

How can you help?

Please send an email. At a minimum, email your Councillor. Ideally, you can email them all.

Copy and paste into the "to" line:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Copy and paste into the "subject" line:

Support Prop 349 – Sign Ordinance Compromise

Email body:

Clearly you should say whatever you think is appropriate, but the text can be as simple as “I support the Prop 349 Compromise for our sign ordinance" followed by your name and address.

 

A short history

Indianapolis currently puts restrictions on billboards and outdoor advertising, to protect the aesthetic of the built environment and promote safety on the roadways. These restrictions have been in place since 1971—over half a century.

The billboard industry has been lobbying the State Legislature to damage key elements of our sign ordinance. Last session, the Senate Roads and Transportation Committee Chairman ordered the City to negotiate with the billboard companies "and work something out, or else we will".

The billboard companies gave the City a wish list and the City agreed to some lesser points but refused to agree to others—like new billboards inside I-465, which have been banned since 1971. After vigorous and numerous conversations with the City, several large Neighborhood Organizations agreed to the Prop 349 Compromise language in order to stave off further State Legislation that would erode our billboard regulations so we can maintain home rule.

As the public process neared its end with a vote at the full City Council, the billboard companies (who had not bothered to appear at any of the earlier public hearings), began aggressive lobbying of the Councillors—trying to kill the Compromise. This led to Prop 349 being sent back to the Metropolitan & Economic Development Committee (MEDC) of the City Council for a 2nd hearing.

That hearing took place last week and you can view it here.

The MEDC voted unanimously to return Prop 349 to the full Council with a do-pass recommendation. The full Council vote on Prop 349 will be held on January 6th.