[Durham INC] Stick with the status quo and that's what you have to live with

[Kelly Jarrett]

Mike--
I think there has been debate. I think the Nays are winning.
Kelly

M. W. Shiflett - Hotmail wrote:
> I don't believe I've ever said that I have taken a unanimous decision 
> 'for electronic billboards'.   What I've posted were what some 
> (including myself) feel are positives.
>
> There are also many negatives.
>
> The ordinance, as it currently stands, chains us to the possibility of 
> many of the same blighted old billboards in and around our 
> neighborhoods, churches, recreational areas and schools to remain 
> (quite possibly for decades more) in place.
>
> I've attempted to get people to find a way to remove them by 
> mitigating the negatives, that so many neighborhood groups and 
> associations seen as reasons to support the status quo.
>
> Over the past several months there's been discussions (mostly against 
> them). All I have said is that there are some advantages to them that 
> have been left out of those postings.  The Times article mentions a 
> few of them, however.
>
> All I have advocated for is a balanced debate.
>
> For this, I have received many emails.  Some friendly and 
> understanding, others accusatory and degrading.
>
> I don't appreciate having words substituted for what I posted.
>
> I have not mislead people in this effort.  I only asked them to 
> consider each side of the issue.
>
> As someone not running for office,  I have not been lobbied or 
> paid/received ANYTHING from the billboard industry or any of their 
> employees.  I certainly didn't appreciate the innuendo that I had.
>
> But I have seen how many non-profits and neighborhood volunteer groups 
> have struggled thru financially tough times recently.   I had hoped 
> that there was a compromise that could be worked out the might benefit 
> them and, as an added benefit, bring attention to some of the more 
> interesting happenings/events in Durham to those 'just driving thru'.
>
> Some have seen that there was a good argument for Public Announcements 
> using electronic billboards as emergency alert mechanisms, but not as 
> many who see these as added distractions.   I understand this but 
> don't agree that Amber and Silver Alerts can't be improved upon.
>
> It'd been helpful if someone could have incorporated these into the 
> mix, besides me along the way.
>
> Finally, I appreciate the ground swell of support for keeping things 
> the way they are.   I was just hoping that we could get more out of it.
>
>
> mike
>
> "It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle 
> a question without debating it."
> --Jeseph Joubert
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Schelp" <bwatu at yahoo.com>
> To: <inc-list at DurhamINC.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2010 5:40 PM
> Subject: [Durham INC] List of neighborhoods supporting Durham's 
> successfulbillboard ban; Last chance to send email...
>
>
>> folks,
>>
>> Several neighborhood and community associations support Durham's 
>> current ban on billboards. Support is strong across all segments of 
>> the community.
>>
>> (See list of supporting neighborhoods below; along with DCVB poll 
>> results.)
>>
>> Happily, other neighborhood boards are meeting to vote to join in 
>> support of the current billboard ban. Please let us know if we need 
>> to add your neighborhood group to the list.
>>
>> More than 175 emails of support have been sent to officials over the 
>> past four days! (One has come in for electronic billboards.) Many 
>> many thanks to one and all.
>>
>> If you haven't already, kindly send a short, positive note asking 
>> officials: "please do not tinker with our successful sign ordinance."
>>
>> Send email tonight/early tomorrow to Council at DurhamNC.Gov, 
>> commissioners at durhamcountync.gov, DurhamPlanningCommission at durhamnc.gov
>>
>> with much appreciation,
>> John
>>
>> ****
>>
>> Working list of supporting neighborhoods
>>
>> * Burch Avenue
>>
>> * Duke Park
>>
>> * Lakewood Park
>>
>> * Long Meadow
>>
>> * Morehead Hill
>>
>> * New East Durham
>>
>> * Northgate Park
>>
>> * Old Farm
>>
>> * Old West Durham
>>
>> * Trinity Heights
>>
>> * Trinity Park
>>
>> * Tuscaloosa-Lakewood
>>
>> * Uplift East Durham
>>
>> * Walltown
>>
>> * Watts-Hospital Hillandale
>>
>> * West End
>>
>> * InterNeighborhood Council
>>
>> ****
>>
>> Poll: Residents support current billboard ordinance
>> Herald-Sun, 3 October 2009
>>
>> A poll commissioned by the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau 
>> finds overwhelming support for the billboard ordinance that now exists.
>>
>> Support for the existing ordinance was nearly 9-to-1 overall, with 
>> the ratio of strongly agree to strongly disagree at 8.4-to-1. In all, 
>> 72 percent of residents supported the existing ordinance, 20 percent 
>> were undecided and 8 percent did not support the current ordinance.
>>
>> In recent months, Fairway Outdoor Advertising has lobbied the city to 
>> loosen its billboard restrictions, in part to allow electronic 
>> billboards.
>>
>> [See letters from the community supporting Durham's current billboard 
>> ban here... http://supportdurhambillboardban.com/]
>>
>> Reyn Bowman, president and CEO of the Durham Convention and Visitors 
>> Bureau, said he was surprised by the results. Forty percent of the 
>> population, he noted, did not even live here when the ordinance was 
>> passed.
>>
>> Newcomers who have lived here two years or fewer supported the 
>> ordinance by a ratio of 4.5-to-1 while those here three to five years 
>> were 9-to-1 in favor, and those here six to 10 years in favor by 
>> 20-to-1.
>>
>> Residents of 11 to 20 years supported the ordinance by 14-to-1 and 
>> those living in Durham more than 21 years showed support by a margin 
>> of 8-to-1.
>>
>> The general manager with Fairway Outdoor Advertising, which has been 
>> a proponent of changing the ordinance, was on vacation and 
>> unavailable for comment, according to a company employee.
>>
>> Another interesting finding of the poll, Bowman said, is that there 
>> was no correlation between respondents' pride in Durham and their 
>> position on the billboard ordinance.
>>
>> Residents supported the existing ordinance regardless of their level 
>> of pride in or image of Durham.
>>
>> Even those undecided about either supported the existing ordinance.
>>
>> Support for the existing ordinance was consistent across gender with 
>> males and females, 72.4 percent and 71.4 percent, in favor respectively.
>>
>> Blacks supported the existing ordinance 11-to1, whites by 10-to-1, 
>> Asians by 4-to-1, and Hispanics by 5.5-to-1.
>>
>> The poll was taken in August after several months of discussion about 
>> a possible proposal to change the ordinance to permit moving some 
>> billboards and upgrading them to digital.
>>
>> ****
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Durham INC Mailing List
>> list at durham-inc.org
>> http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
>>
>
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