Council votes to eliminate mobile billboards

VALLEY VILLAGE, Calif. (KABC) -- The Los Angeles City Council is trying to eliminate the mobile billboards that are annoying a lot of residents throughout the city. Friday's council vote may have little impact unless the state gets involved.

They are popping up on streets all over Los Angeles. These mobile ads are very visible. And to some that's very annoying.

"Our streets are to carry traffic safely. To have the clutter of trailers is not the right thing," said L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge.

ABC7 reported on this after receiving e-mails from viewers who say they don't want them in their neighborhoods.

"They're a nuisance, they're a hazard, a lot of complaints, a lot of issues, they are unsafe, and they are a real eyesore in the community," said L.A. City Councilman Dennis Zine.

They city tried to regulate them, but Friday the city council voted to eliminate them all together. Officials say these signs prohibiting unhitched trailers are often ignored. So now they want to change state law.

"We're now working with California state legislators to put an end to this because while it's here in the city of Los Angeles, it's going to then spread to other jurisdictions," said Zine.

"Well, they tried that about five years ago, and it died right in committee," said Bruce Boyer, owner of Lone Star Security. "Zine tried to push it then. It went absolutely no where."

Boyer is fighting City Hall. He owns Lone Star security, which has a number of the mobile billboards. He says under the California Vehicle Code they're allowed to park on any street like any other vehicle. He feels the city is upset because these mobile billboards don't have to pay a city tax.

"They can put out a bus bench right there, and who's complaining about that clutter? If I put a Lone Star bus bench ad, would that be OK? Well the city would be OK with it because now they get to stick my money in their pocket to sell me the right to put out a bus bench ad," said Boyer.

Boyer says he's not backing down. He's fighting the city in court. This battle over billboards could go on for years.

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valley village, downtown, los angeles news, carlos granda

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