By Staff
Our View
We applaud the stand the Atmore City Council took when approached by interests to rebuild billboards within the city.
Billboard advertising, like any form of advertising can be effective and informative for both businesses and consumers.
However, large billboards have their place – outside the city. Really, it's the best place where large billboards would do the most good.
There, those billboards can direct traffic to Atmore and its businesses, they can provide an advertising presence that informs travelers of the many good things to be found in our fair city.
But inside the city limits, where things are built up, and visual clutter becomes more of a concern, the story changes.
The Mayor and city council are not, as it was implied Monday, against local businesses, but they are interested in maintaining the attractiveness of their town.
This sign ordinance is no different from hundreds of sign ordinances in place in hundreds of towns across this country.
But many towns around the country, and some in this area, have had to have the will to litigate when the lawsuits are filed against these sign ordinances. Many cities have had to fight to keep their sign ordinances, and Atmore may have to do the same.
Provided the language is clear, the ordinance will likely stand up to the legal challenge, but in this world, the courthouse is often the proving ground for legislation.