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Legislative Victory in Georgia

Legislative Victory in Georgia

On May 12, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed long-sought legislation to improve visibility of billboards by expanding control of vegetation (targeted view zone).
"This is a major victory," said OAAA President and CEO Nancy Fletcher. "This progress is a tribute to persistence. Congratulations to all those who worked toward this goal for decades."

In Georgia, proponents of vegetation control faced opposition from garden clubs, cities, and newspaper editorial writers. Prospects for the bill improved after the 2010 election when bipartisan majorities of both houses of the Geor¬gia Legislature passed the bill and sent it to the governor.
State regulators have four months to implement new rules.

A similar battle has raged in North Carolina, where the Legislature is considering a bill to strengthen vegetation control. The bill would expand the space around billboards that could be cleared from 250 to 340 feet in municipalities and 380 feet in unincorporated areas. It now moves closer to a state Senate vote after winning approval last week from the Finance Committee.