Controversial Plan For Billboards Near San Jose Airport Faces Vote

Campbell CA

30 November, 2021

6:23 PM

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By Lloyd Alaban, San Jose Spotlight November 29, 2021 San Jose has said no to new billboards for more than 30 years. That could change Tuesday amid heated debate between residents, airport officials and the City Council. The airport is asking the city to allow construction of two billboards by media company Clear Channel. The billboards will measure about 1,000 square feet, and they're planned to go up just south of Highway 101. The City Council will vote on the proposal on Tuesday. City officials estimate the billboards will bring at least $490,000 in annual revenue for the airport. For comparison, the airport's 2021-22 adopted budget is approximately $143.5 million. "The additional revenue to the city will help provide a much-needed revenue source while providing the city with additional opportunities to advertise airport initiatives at no cost," said John Aitken, the city's director of aviation, in a memo. Despite the nearly half million in projected revenue, the project has faced fierce criticism from both the public and the airport's advisory body. In the project's latest hurdle, the city's Airport Commission voted 7-2 against the plan earlier this month. Commissioners said building new billboards would open the door for more billboards across the city with little monetary benefit. They cited a lack of transparency between the city and the public regarding the project, as well as a massive waste in electricity. Others have rallied against billboards because they say the signs clutter the city's skyline, pose a danger to drivers and negative environmental impacts. "The amount of electricity is probably inconsequential for a city as large as we are, but (the billboards) set a precedent for the rest of the city," Airport Commission Vice Chair Ken Pyle told San José Spotlight. "But the city's goal is carbon neutrality. To me, that was the logic I used. This would be energy wasted. Every watt matters." The billboard project didn't go through the city's usual bidding process because airport officials added the two new signs to a current contract with Clear Channel. Aitken supported the billboard project as far back as February 2020, according to airport officials. The billboards, however, were not included in a 2020 master plan for the airport. Mayor Sam Liccardo, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Councilmembers Pam Foley, Raul Peralez and David Cohen are asking the council to reject the proposal and open a bidding process for developing the billboards. They're also asking the city to enforce removing four billboards for every new billboard built per city policy. "While we do not necessarily oppose the installation of two digital billboards on airport property, the solicitation process gives us pause," the lawmakers wrote in a memo. San Jose banned new billboards on city-owned land in 1972 and banned new billboards entirely across the city in 1985. City officials have taken steps in recent years to relax bans in hopes of brining more tax revenue. The council approved the first of a two-phase plan in 2018 to place 22 billboards on 17 city-owned sites. Phase two would have placed up to 75 digital signs on private property. The council dropped phase two in February following public criticism. A city-led survey of more than 2,200 residents in April found overwhelming opposition for new billboards, with 91% of respondents either "strongly opposed" or "somewhat opposed," regardless of whether they are built on public or private property. Proponents of new billboards say they'll bring much-needed revenue to the airport as it faces increased competition from San Francisco and Oakland International Airports. Opponents insist billboards cause distractions, contribute to light pollution and suck up large amounts of electricity. A grassroots group called No Digital Billboards San Jose has aggressively lobbied the city to reject any future billboards. "This is the first of many billboards to come," John Miller, founder of No Digital Billboards San Jose, told San José Spotlight. "Once we go down this path, it's going to be much harder to reverse. A few dollars more isn't going to justify the billboards." The San Jose City Council meets Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. To learn more about how you can watch and participate, click here. Contact Lloyd Alaban at [email protected] or###a> follow @lloydalaban on Twitter. San José Spotlight is the city's first nonprofit news organization dedicated to independent political and business reporting. Please support our public service journalism by clicking here.