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Issues

The issues we are concerned with include sign control (on-premise, billboards, electronic billboards), tree conservation, cell tower control, and place-sensitive highway design.

Issues and articles of interest...

URGENT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

July 10, 2008

Legislation would open the door to more billboards along Michigan roads

Legislature poised to reverse key parts of state billboard restrictions; groups ask state House and Gov. Granholm to kill it

Lansing— Legislation killing billboard control measures could mean thousands more billboards along Michigan’s scenic highways and byways, and should be rejected by the State House of Representatives and/or Gov. Granholm, said the Michigan Environmental Council and Scenic Michigan today.

“In Michigan, we have established a cap on billboards,” said Abby Dart of Scenic Michigan. “This legislation would pry open that cap. It would allow the expansion and digitalization of thousands of billboards that are supposed to have been removed at the end of their useful life.”

Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation in 2006 establishing a cap on billboards, saying at the time that “Michigan is blessed with beautiful scenery—fields and forests, lakes, streams and hills” and that the 2006 cap would “ensure we don't lose that beauty in a mountain of roadside advertisements.“

“We expect the governor to be consistent in her commitment to helping keep Michigan free from the clutter of excessive commercial advertising,” said Lana Pollack, of the Michigan Environmental Council. “But we hope that the House of Representatives sees this legislation for what it is, and kills it before it gets any farther.”

SB 1370 was apparently written on behalf of one politically connected Saginaw billboard owner who wanted to bring his illegal billboard into compliance. But statewide damage would be done through provisions that:B

  • Reverse hard fought 1999 spacing requirements for billboards. The 1,000-foot minimum space between signs on federal highways would be shortened to 500 feet. The 500-foot spacing minimum on primary highways would be reduced to 300 feet.
  • Would allow holders of on-premise signs to convert their permits to off-premise signs; paving the way for relocation and clustering of billboards all across the state.
  • Remove the prohibition on upgrading of “grandfathered” billboards that don’t comply with the newer laws essentially removing them from the planned obsolescence that a 1999 law created, and paving the way for making them bigger and electronically digitized.
  • Allow an unlimited number of small billboards for religious organizations and service clubs.

“This legislation snuck its way through the Senate late last month during the chaos of the end of session. It included an amendment to help control obscene or indecent billboards.” said Hugh McDiarmid Jr. of the Michigan Environmental Council and Scenic Michigan. “It’s likely in the chaos of the moment that many senators voted for the decency amendment without realize how far-reaching the entire bill is.”

The legislation is expected to be considered as early as July 16 by the House of Representatives when legislators return for session.

SCENIC MICHIGAN SIGN & LIGHTING WORKSHOP

Scenic Michigan offers Sign and Lighting Workshops to Communities

Interested citizens, planners, zoning administrators and elected officials can all benefit from Scenic Michigan’s two hour Workshop which focuses on drafting sign ordinances that maintain community character, safety issues around signs and lighting and best practices for preserving the night sky.

Billboards, first amendment issues, writing, defending and enforcing sign and lighting ordinances will be presented by experts on the subject. Other topics include public safety and appearance issues, ways to save energy and money with lighting and signs and why communities should care about signs and lighting. Sample signs and lighting ordinances will be distributed as well as pictures of good lighting fixtures.

Scenic Michigan Sign & Light Workshop Flyer

SCENIC MICHIGAN POLICY ON WIND DRIVEN ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS

Scenic Michigan (SM) enthusiastically supports the use of alternative energy sources to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. This includes wind driven electric power plants, provided they are properly located, operated, and with provision for removal in the event of obsolescence.

SM believes some measure of local input and control of siting and operation is mandatory, perhaps through a model ordinance which could be used throughout Michigan. Given their potential impacts, SM does not believe installation of large, wind driven electric power plants should be permitted in Michigan as a matter of right by developers, electric utilities or units of government.

The factors which should be considered for each installation include:

  • Impact of location of these tall structures (hundreds of feet high) in environmentally or visually sensitive areas
  • Visual impact to residents and tourists
  • Need for and appearance of facilities to connect to the electric grid such as a substation, security fencing, power lines and roads
  • Blade and/or hub lighting to FAA requirements, especially flashing strobe lights
  • Light flicker on neighbors due to sunlight reflected off blades
  • Ice shedding potential
  • Color of the units
  • Proximity to migratory bird flyways and night flying birds and bats
  • Noise
  • Maintenance of the power plant site
  • Economic viability, with and without tax credits
  • Removal bond in the event of obsolescence