FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
August 26, 2026
**PRESSRELEASE**
CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSES BLUMENFIELD’S MOTION TO REVIVE DISCUSSION OF CITY RULES FOR BILLBOARDS AND DIGITAL SIGNS
LOS ANGELES, CA – Recognizing that outdoor advertising has evolved significantly since Los Angeles last comprehensively updated its sign ordinance in 2007, the City Council today unanimously passed Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s proposal to reactivate the City’s expired proposed sign ordinance for continued review and amendment. Blumenfield intends to use it as a jumping off point to help create a new comprehensive law that could bring in new revenues, new amenities and provide realistic guidelines that benefit Angelenos and businesses. The frozen draft ordinance governing billboards and digital signs has been withering since 2021.
“With about 10,000 billboards in Los Angeles and companies who want to create more innovative digital signage around the City, we need to restart the decades-old conversation around this issue,” said Councilmember Blumenfield. “While we shouldn't just green light the whole draft ordinance, by reinstating the old Council File we won’t lose the benefit of all the work that was done on a sign ordinance between 2011 and 2021.”
The most important reason Blumenfield brought forward this motion is that the City needs to generate revenue, and an updated sign ordinance could help do that. Los Angeles has already approved digital signs on Metro-owned property, in exchange for a share of net revenue. And, part of the financial strategy for the upgrades to the Convention Center is through revenue from digital signage. It is imperative for the City to explore options for a comprehensive program of revenue-generating signs on city property, instead of one-offs.
Los Angeles has long required sign districts or individual approvals for digital signs on private property. Cities including Inglewood and West Hollywood permit digital billboards on private property under development agreements that generate revenue for their cities. The technology of digital signs has changed, and they now are very similar visually to static billboards and can actually produce less light pollution than traditionally spot-lighted billboards.
Blumenfield also highlighted that a new law could create opportunities for new infrastructure like EV chargers. “We want to encourage installation of privately-funded community EV chargers and many companies’ business models include advertising on the chargers, like ad screens on gas pumps. But quirks in our current sign ordinance require workarounds, instead of straightforward permitting rules.”
He concluded, “My intention is to re-start a process, without a predetermined outcome. With only a handful of members who were on the Council the last time we discussed this, it’s time to bring all the players to the table and create a future facing law that works for LA.”
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