Council Considers Billboard Ordinance

PRAIRIE GROVE — Billboards would have to be at least 1,300 feet apart and would only be allowed in business and manufacturing zoned areas, according to an ordinance placed on first reading by the Prairie Grove City Council.

The council is considering a billboard ordinance in response to a request for six billboards by Todd Fenix with Fenix Associates of Texarkana.

The Prairie Grove Planning Commission already approved one billboard at 12480 W. Highway 62, across from David C. Rose Gun Shop, but tabled Fenix’s request for five more billboards on U.S. 62, deciding instead to wait and get some direction from the city council.

“We know we have business folks in town who want to advertise but we know we also have areas we want to protect,” said Mayor Sonny Hudson at the council’s April 15 meeting.

Fenix attended the council meeting and said his company works with small towns to help local businesses grow.

“We focus on the towns we’re in and concentrate on the small business,” Fenix said. “We’d appreciate the opportunity to partner with the city.”

Fenix said his firm has billboards in many cities in Arkansas, including Mena, Waldron, Ashdown, Malvern and Hot Springs Village. He said the firm works with businesses to help them find their message and figure out how to reach their market.

The city’s billboard ordinance defines a billboard as a freestanding, off- site commercial sign. Billboards must be mounted on a single structure and are limited to four separate signs (two in each direction) with no more than 192 square feet per sign.

The ordinance allows billboards on U.S. 62 from Prairie Grove’s eastern city limit to the bridge over the Illinois River and from Prairie Grove’s western city limit to the bridge over the Muddy Fork of the Illinois River.

Fenix said he already has contracts with six property owners on U.S. 62 for the billboards. However, Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works, said three of Fenix’s billboard locations are in areas zoned agriculture and the council would have to rezone those properties before the billboards could be approved.

The council left the ordinance on first reading to give the public time to ask questions or make comments.

Council member Casey Copeland said he did not want the council to take a long time approving a billboard ordinance.

He pointed out that Fenix applied for the billboards under the current rules and now the city wanted to change the rules.