Monday, December 7th, 2009 ::: City Hall: New By-Law

It was a fantastic day at City Council and someday we should let you know the inside scoop of how a rag tag team of public space and arts activists beat a murder of high priced billboard lobbyists and convinced City Council to adopt the Buildings Departments’ recommendations to adopt a $10.4 Million billboard tax and new by-law to regulate billboards.

Mondoville, Torontoist, Spacing Wire (Post 1 and Post2), NOW, EYE, The Star and BlogTO has  coverage of what happened.

Mayor David Miller has the best quote:

Here’s what we got in a nutshell:

• This by-law is so restrictive on new billboards that there will hardly be a decent place left to build a new billboard in the City of Toronto;
• The fines are so high that once the Chief Building Official declares a billboard illegal, we expect it gone pretty quickly if the CBO is serious;
• The tax, at $10.4 Million is a very good amount. There are scores roof signs in Scarborough and Etobicoke that will be uneconomical to operate under this tax.
• The variance process will require a variance to be approved by a quazi-judicial body; if the variance is approved, the application could be bumped to to require City Council approval. If the variance is rejected, an application to Council cannot be made.

With the high level of billboard attrition in Toronto due to the growth of the City, the by-laws that City Council passed today could cut the number of Toronto’s billboards in half over twenty five years. That is, if it lasts the test of time. Already, during the Council debate, a Councillor suggested that a new administration could undo these by-laws. That’s why elections are so important.

Next: we expect a concerted attempt at tax evasion and a court challenge to the Ontario Superior Court that the industry is likely to launch. We’ll bring that trial to you, lie by perjurious lie.