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The Power of Knowledge: City to Arm Residents with Legal Info on Mobile Billboards
An unhitched advertising trailer sits on Woodman Ave. in Sherman Oaks outside Notre Dame High School | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
An unhitched advertising trailer sits on Woodman Ave. in Sherman Oaks outside Notre Dame High School | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
It may seem like it, but parking enforcement officers are not everywhere. Who is everywhere, however, is the public. And in the Valley, one of the most complained about quality of life issues are mobile billboards, specifically ones sitting atop unhitched trailers. So why not educate the already-exasperated residents on how to spot illegal mobile advertisements and report them?
That's exactly what southwest Valley Councilman Dennis Zine is doing. He introduced motion asking the Department of Transportation to create an information sheet to be distributed to educate the public. This document should include the current laws on unhitched trailers, define what is an unhitched trailer, and contact information for submitting complaints and requests," it read.
"Those trailers get vandalized, they move into traffic during the winds, they get swept away in the rains and they're basically a nuisance--a blight in the community," exclaimed Councilman Dennis Zine, who represents a portion of the west Valley, in today's city council meeting. "So we're working to eradicate them form the city of Los Angeles."
As far as complaints from residents go, mobile advertising is the number one complaint in Zine's district. Paul Koretz, who represents a neighboring district said the same goes for his, especially on the Valley side.
"We have some tools in the toolbox, but not enough," noted Councilman Bill Rosendahl. One such tool can be seen on various West Valley streets where posted signs make it illegal to leave an unhitched trailer. But a fine of $49 is just a cost of business for operators and one way around the issue is to leave a billboard hitched to a parked vehicle.
Zine's motion was passed unanimously.
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Previous Mobile Billboard Coverage on LAist
- Banning Mobile Billboards a Tricky Proposition
- Zine Seeks State Legislation to 'Better Regulate' Mobile Billboards
- City, 1; Mobile Billboard Trailers, 0
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