"This issue is not complicated. There is a countywide sign code. It establishes minimum standards for all signs in all places. Each municipality can adopt stricter sign rules, but no city can adopt regulations that are more lenient.Peter rightfully asks:
Every city is instructed to enforce the sign code, or its own tougher rules, within its boundaries. Most cities have done an admirable job, and our county’s landscape is better for it. Miami, to the contrary, repeatedly has embraced lawless elements of the outdoor advertising industry."
"How could the City of Miami, with its duty to enforce the countywide sign code’s minimum standards within its city limits, instead become business partners with companies that were knowingly and blatantly violating that very law?" He answers:Both of these sign photos were taken from the County Municipal garage (by me) so the Mayor can't say he hasn't see these signs. And, if I am not mistaken, I think the County might own that that building the iPad sign is on see image below. It is a building linked to the parking garage for the library and County Hall. Wonder who is pocketing the iPad check? Could the County be violating its ordinance too?
"Because Miami-Dade County’s former mayors looked the other way, year after year."
Ehrlich calls the City of Miami's profiting from illegal signs "serial acts of municipal prostitution." Ouch!
42 comments:
Eye On Miami,
Thank you for informing your readers about our goal to reduce visual pollution in Miami-Dade County. We are especially opposed to the plethora of illegal LED billboards recently installed in the City of Miami.
Scenicmiamidade.org founders include Barbara Bisno, Esq. and William Pollak, Esq.
Peter R. Ehrlich, Jr.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez needs to be a leader and direct his Directors to enforce the current Sign Code.
That giant signage from Apple is the worst! Now it's the iPad ad but there has been a serious of other Apple products featured there before. The enormity of the sign is very distracting when driving my and especially when it's seen from the I-95 onramp.
a *series of other Apple products featured there before... blame it on the iPhone auto correct, another Apple annoyance!
Peter Ehrlick, Bob Pollack and Barbara Bisno are the three who hold the City's feet to the fire. The City is even doing worse that Peter said because they are now electrifying many of the old stand alone billboards to make them flashing LEDs, which if also illegal under the County code. Municipal prostitution indeed! Polluting our landscape for money.
Could Gimene’z lackluster on the issue have anything to do with the fact that these billboard companies, its announcers, and the lawyers and lobbyist that represent them, give large amounts of money to campaign coffers? Just asking…
City of Miami's Marc Sarnoff has taken in boatloads of cash from Clear Channel, FUEL and other billboard companies. No surprise Sarnoff loves billboards.
Yeah... but I think Gimenez is in question her. No pun intended.
These bright flashing-every-6/8 seconds-billboards are flooding our community - revenue starved cities sign idemnification agreements with Clear Channel to enact illegal ordinances - West miami and Medley have now jumped on this illegal dispoiling train. Of course, Miami is the national poster child for fawning over the outdoor advertising industry.
Email County Mayor Gimenez(mayor@miamidade.gov) to urge him to enforce the County sign code within municipal boundaries. Email scenicmiamidade@gmail.com to contct us and receive our next action request.
Clear Channel is trying to get as many illegal LED billboards approved and installed before the public catches on that they are illegal. They are distracting and disgusting.
What developer will build on a site that faces a LED billboard and it's glaring ads that change every 6 seconds.
These LED billboards destroy neighborhoods.
Gimenez anyone?
Los Angeles files a lawsuit against a Beverly Hills-based company, claiming the firm illegally wrapped 17 buildings with towering "supergraphic" advertisements.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/09/la-accuses-ad-firm-of-displaying-illegal-supergraphics.html
Los Angeles actually arrested the owner of a property that had illegal mural ads.
Gimenez?
Scenic Miami and Scenic Miami-Dade have done a great job at educating the public to the evils of visual pollution and the close and perverse relationships between the Outdoor Advertising industry and elected officials.
Who is protecting the public?
I voted for Gimenez to clean up the County. I want to see the mayor go after the city and demonstrate to all that there is a New Mayor in town who will not let the city keep those ugly giant signs that are not authorized by the county. This does not require a committie or a think tank or a special election, just enforce the current .sign regulations
I am amazed that these giant billboards are right in our collective faces -- and yet are completely illegal. It is high time our sign ordinances were enforced. Here in Miami our natural beauty is our most precious commodity for residents and tourists. Mayor Gimemez, please show us you will crack down on this visual pollution!
I am sure Gimenez will get to this, but now it is not the priority ...don't you agree? We have bigger issues to deal with than signs.
Don't lower the bar anon... I'm sure Gimenez and his
5 deputy mayors can multitask.
The lighted billboards are showing up in the middle of blocks - in parking lots of businesses practically at street level. There's one on LeJeune north of Flagler on the way north to the airport.
What would happen if we all made a vow not to patronize the businesses or purchase the products advertised on these billboards. Maybe it will stop?
Hey we are going to have gambling soon. You think, Las Vegas works without neon? Get over it. Miami is going south.
How about Gimenez Jr? There are several other recent lobbyist registrations that may also be connected with illegal outdoor advertising in the City of Miami as well. Do it, call Gimenez Jr., to inquire.
City of Miami, Registered Lobbyists and Active Issues
Gimenez, Carlos J.
Address: 121 Alhambra Plaza 10th Floor Organization Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.
City : Coral Gables Telephone 3052624433 Fax:
State : FL Zip : 33134 Email: cgimenez@becker-poliakoff.com
Venetia Condominium Association
Advocacy in Connection with Media Boards in the Downtown Omni Area.
07/27/2010 $105.00 003985
Carlos Gimenez is the Strong Mayor. He's the boss. Will Carlos protect the residents?
Remember that once a billboard goes up it stays up for 50-70 years.
Carlos? Time to act is now.
The residents need someone to fight for them.
Stop Grand Standing and actually file a complaint.....
"In response to the public’s demand for clean government, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners created the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIG is authorized to detect, investigate and prevent fraud, waste, mismanagement and abuse of power in county projects, programs or contracts." http://www.miamidadeig.org/
Thank you, Peter and Scenic Miami. The ugly and negative effect of too large, nature obscuring billboards has been part of the Miami skyline for far too long. We need our county and city mayors and commissioners to control them and ban the ones that are hazardous for motorists and inflict blight where beauty should reign for tourists and residents alike.
Judith Sandoval
So Marc Sarnoff cuts the deals with the billboard companies, and drafts the code that paves the way for the proliferation of this blight. I agree that it is highly appropriate for Mayor Gimenez to take some corrective action since the City of Miami has purposely abandoned it's responsibility to the citizenry. However, mayor Gimenez has been in office for only a couple of months, is negotiating with the unions, crafting a balanced budget, restructuring county hall, etc., etc. so maybe we can point the finger at where the real responsibility lies. Mayor Regalado, Comm. Sarnoff and City Manager Johnny Martinez. They are the true A-holes here.
We are all learning about the new methods of marketing and sales. The idea is to engage people. Get to know them. Start a conversation. Exchange ideas and they will become interested in your product or in what you have to say.
Miami is so last century. Miami yells at us from BIG signs. They do not engage us and do not offer anything cultural to us.
When driving on I 95, not only do I have to put with a horrible traffic but I have to put up with companies yelling at me while trying to get my attention. The city has lost its respect for the people and is only interested in trying to make a few bucks. Please don't get me wrong. I think it's great to make money. But does anyone want to buy anything when someone is shouting at you?
Marguerite above is correct. Billboards, especially the new LED billboards, shout at us. They are rude and an insult to the public.
Any elected officials who votes for these billboards should be recalled. Investigators should examine all the campaign contributions from the outdoor advertising industry to elected officials and look for conflicts on interest. Or worse.
In the meantime, Mayor Gimenez needs to direct his Deputy County Managers to enforce the existing Sign Code.
How will Miami-Dade County look in 40 years? Marc Sarnoff wants hundreds of more billboards and Scenic Miami-Dade wants no billboards.
What do the residents and visitors want?
Local residents want no billboards.
The signs you have pictured are not illegal - downtown Miami is a "mural zone." There can be no billboards, but a "mural" on the side of a building is permitted under the currrent code. Makes sense, right?
The major illegal sign in downtown Miami is the jumbotron on American Airlines Arena. Don't tell anyone.
The City inn is wrapped from tip to tail in illegal murals. The County sued to have them removed and after years of litigation WON!
Yet, two or three months after a judge ordered them removed, they remain.
The most recent addition is a sign nearly the size of the building put up by the Miami Dolphins. This sign went up AFTER the judgement.
Over 50% of the mural ads in downtown Miami are illegal. They violate requirements due to size, spacing and design. City administrators are in bed with the illegal mural ad vendors. Beer ads on a City building facing I-95?
It is almost December 2011 and Mayor Carlos Gimenez and his staff continue to let the illegal LED billboards distract and abuse residents and tourists.
Miami looks worse and worse as out-of-towners trash our home.
It is now August 2012 and Carlos Gimenez is buying advertising on illegal LED billboards. To promote his own re-election campaign. Gimenez just fired disgraced lobbyist Francois Illias from working on his campaign. Illias takes money from billboard companies.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez needs to stand up to the outlaws from the outdoor advertising industry who are taking advantage of greedy elected officials.
It is December 2012 and the criminal element of the outdoor advertising industry continues to install illegal billboards in Miami-Dade County.
It is March 2013 and Mayor Carlos Gimenez continues to refuse to enforce the County Sign Code against the criminal elements of the outdoor advertising industry.
It is June 2013 and Mayor Carlos Gimenez refuses to honor his campaign promise. Gimenez promised a zero tolerance policy against illegal signs. Gimenez refuses to enforce the County Sign Code.
The Miami-Dade County Administration is proposing legislation that would allow illegal LED billboards and other forms of visual pollution that violate the 1965 Highway Beautification Act.
Carlos Gimenez has NOT been a friend to the visual look and feel of Miami-Dade County. Gimenez is in the pocket of the outdoor advertising industry.
Scenic Miami is still fighting illegal billboards.
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