Politics & Government

Boston Looks To Ban Billboards from Beacon Hill

The Zoning Commission will consider the BRA's proposal at a meeting on Dec. 12.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority is looking to ban new billboards, signboards and other outdoor ads from Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Kenmore Square and Boston’s financial district, the Boston Herald reported on Tuesday.

The proposal to ban new signs will come before the Boston Zoning Commission at a public hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. on Wednesday at City Hall. Billboards and signs already placed would be exempt from the new zoning regulations, if the changes are approved.

Such signs are already banned from about 90 percent of the city, according to the Herald article.

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The new regulations would apply to signs that advertise or announce a business, service or event offered at a site other than the one where the sign is located.

Also on the Zoning Commission agenda for Wednesday:

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• A public hearing at 9:45 p.m. on a proposal to renovate buildings located at 150-160 American Legion Highway, which are currently vacant. The Lena Park Community Development Corporation has proposed using part of the property as a community center, while Brooke Charter School is looking to use another part of the property.

• A public hearing at 10 a.m. on a proposal to amend the development plan for the Seaport Square project to allow for the installation and use of electronic signs “to enhance and support the Innovation Center and the Innovation Uses” in the project, according to the official hearing notice. The Seaport Square project includes the construction of 22 buildings offering up to 6,335,200 square feet of residential, retail, office, hotel, innovation, civic and cultural uses as well as parking areas.

• A public hearing at 10:15 a.m. on a proposal to amend the zoning map for the Fenway Neighborhood District by adding a Planned Development Area overlay district to an area at 1313 Boylston St.

View the Zoning Commission’s full Dec. 12 agenda as a PDF in the gallery above.

Copies of all Zoning Commission petitions can be viewed in the commission office in Boston City Hall’s Room 953C Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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