Legislature Gives City More Power to Fight Ad Trailers

The state Assembly voted Friday to approve a bill that would give Los Angeles officials more power to crack down on mobile billboard advertisers.

The fix-it bill sponsored by Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield (D-Van Nuys) plugs loopholes in earlier legislation and would give the city the authority to penalize mobile billboard advertisers who skirt towing and impound laws.

State law allows vehicles to park in the same place for up to 72 hours. Mobile billboards hitched to cars, trucks, motorcycles or even bikes, have abused the law by moving a matter of inches to start a new 72-hour cycle and essentially keep billboards in the same location.

The bill, which still needs to be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, gives cities the authority to draft ordinances specifying the minimum distance a vehicle must move to avoid being towed after 72 hours.

The bill would also broaden the definition of a mobile billboard to include any device that transports a sign for the purpose of advertising.

"Mobile billboards are an annoying plague blighting our community,'' Blumenfield said. "They are ugly. They take up important parking spaces, and they stifle small businesses in the process.''

The bill comes in the wake of another law that went into effect in January that bans unhitched trailers with advertising on them from being parked on city streets.

Following passage of the January law, Councilman Dennis Zine launched a task force to mark, impound and tow away the trailers. "I will do everything in my power to eradicate them from the streets," Zine said.

At that time, former Councilman Greig Smith said: "Our office worked closely with Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield who authored the bill that would allow cities in California to enact their own laws to regulate or even ban the trailer signs. We helped him craft the bill and helped him in his outstanding and successful effort to get public support for the legislation out in the communities."  Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) co-sponsored that bill.

"The ordinance to regulate mobile billboards in L.A. is long overdue," said Mitch Englander, Smith's former chief of staff, told Chatsworth Patch in January. "We received overwhelming support from the community in our effort to crack down on the unhitched advertising trailers," he said.

Englander was elected to succeed Smith as councilman for District 12 which includes Chatsworth.

The Chatsworth Neighborhood Council successfully partnered with Smith for several years to remove the trailers from neighborhood streets.

A spokesman for City Attorney Carmen Trutanich applauded the vote Friday. Trutanich has made cracking down on illegal advertising a centerpiece of his administration. Spokesman Frank Mateljan said if the bill becomes law it would "give the city another tool to regulate these mobile billboard owners who've been able to exploit loopholes in state law.''

"We urge the governor to sign it,'' he said.

To report a mobile or unhitched ad trailer, call the DOT Parking Enforcement Communications Division at 818-752-5100 or 213-485-4181. Immediately Press "2" to report a parking violation. Be ready to provide the trailer license plate number and the street block location.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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