Property Rights - Pole Signs Banned

Many of our local businesses have been hurt by an ordinance that bans the use of their pole-mounted business signs if they are more than 200' from NE Loop 820.  The ordinance was supposedly enacted to beautify the city.  However, the ordinance has not only failed to fulfill its stated purpose, it has actually made things much worse.  Pay attention to the many dilapidated pole signs in NRH as you drive around.  Many of these are in disrepair for one reason - your City Council mandated it. 

Mayor Trevino and the incumbents in this year's Council race will not allow them to be used or maintained by the property owners because they want them to come down at the owner's expense.  No consideration has been given to the business owners who have lost the use of their property.  Their businesses are being hurt and the value of their real estate has been diminished - significantly in some cases. 

To make matters even worse, some of the actions by the city appear to be clear violations of Texas state law which stipulates what powers cities can exercise over such signage.  Chapter 216 of Texas law specifically prohibits forced removal of such signage without compensation and it establishes procedures to protect property owners.  Our Council and city attorney appear to have an agenda that overrules the law and the citizens in some cases.  What if it were your business?  Is this the kind of treatment you would want from your City Council members? 

We can improve our city without giving the back of our collective hand to our fellow residents and business owners.  If we, as a community, want improved standards we can easily apply them to new construction without affecting established businesses.  We can even address improvements to established businesses.  However, this needs to be done carefully and with genuine concern for the wellbeing of those affected by any new ordinances we want to implement.  We should not, in my view, simply take the property and livelihood of others for our own selfish gain, whatever that may be.

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