Council Debates Billboards on Richmond Road & Sagging Pants

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Texarkana Texas City Council met Tuesday Night for a regular meeting. The meeting was opened with a presentation for the Keeping Texarkana Beautiful award. James and Denise Petersen won from their home at 3115 Pine Street and Dr. Brent Carmony won for his office at 5305 Cowhorn Creek.

City Council Members Josh Davis, Dr. Brian Matthews, Mayor Bob Bruggeman, & Brad Casteel took their oaths of office given by municipal judge Sherry Jackson.

An Ordinance that would grant Shipp Outdoor, LLC a Specific Use Permit to install a digital billboard at 2506 Richmond Rd. near Dairy Queen was the longest discussed issue of the evening. Shipp was denied the request by the Planning & Zoning commission, so now a 3/4 vote by the council is required. The Council has a few concerns. First does the city even have the authority to permit a sign at this location. TxDOT regulations state that they must permit any sign “within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right of way of a regulated highway if any part of the sign’s advertising or information content is visible from any place on the main-traveled way of the highway.” The sign is within that zone of I-30, but Highway might not just mean I-30 as Richmond Rd. is a TxDOT controlled major road.

The council will continue to look at this issue and discussed doing a Master Plan for the area to set a vision for the future of Richmond Rd.

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