By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Billboards will not be erected in Juab County along
any roadway.
County commissioners determined at the last meeting to
leave the ordinance prohibiting outdoor advertising along
highways in Juab County as is -meaning that there will be no
further billboards erected.
"If Juab County has an ordinance prohibiting any
additional billboards within the county, then UDOT cannot
issue any permits for billboards on I-15 or other state
highways within the county," said Geoff Dupaix UDOT (Utah
Department of Transportation) Region 3 (includes the Nephi
area) Public Involvement Coordinator.
"That ordinance takes precedence over state
restrictions. This means that a city or county can place
greater restrictions on billboard usage if they choose. So,
if an advertiser wants to construct a billboard on a state
highway within Juab County, they would first have to get
approval from the county and then acquire a permit from the
state."
In addition to the information released by Dupaix,
Fran Rieck, UDOT Statewide Permits Officer, said: "The Utah
Department of Transportation doesn't usually prohibit
billboards on state highways if they meet the criteria for
that route."
However, since a county has the authority to create an
ordinance which must be honored by the state, billboard use
in Juab County is not allowed.
One exception is the billboard which was constructed
prior to the passing of the ordinance. There are a few such
billboards in use in the county as uses predating the
creation of the county ordinance.
Throughout the state, there are also exceptions to the
state's usual permitting process.
"There are roads that are designated as Scenic Byways
where billboards aren't allowed," said Rieck.
The Permits Officer who handles Outdoor Advertising
for UDOT in Juab County is Terry Stowell. He will answer
e-mail at tstowell@utah.gov. Stowell will provide specific
information for Juab County.
Rieck said she would start adding the information for
the permits section of the UDOT web page immediately.
The billboard or outdoor advertising, such as signs on
the sides of parked trailers left on the side of roadways,
behind the roadway fence which would appear to place them on
private property, are still illegal since the restriction
applies within a specified distance of all roadways as is
defined in the Juab County ordinance.
The county ordinance is available for public view at
the office of Glenn Greenhalgh, Juab County Economic
Director and Planning Commission Director.
The county ordinance does not apply to cities or towns
located within the county since a city can place greater
restrictions on billboard usage if they choose.
Regardless, as Dupaix pointed out, the county
ordinance takes precedence over state restrictions on state
and interstate highways and, therefore, no billboards will
be permitted in the county.
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