Town of Great Valley

BILLBOARDS PROMPT GV BOARD TO LOOK AT PERMIT AND INSPECTION FEES:

While town officials are revamping their code enforcement office and gauging support for a zoning code, the placement of five new billboards is forcing the issue of setting building permit fees and inspections.

Planning Board Chairwoman Yvonne Darts told Town Council members this week that the billboards will be 10.6-feet-tall by 22.8-feet-wide and double-sided. Advantage Advertising of Chautauqua County, which is putting up the billboards, told planners the advertising will be 90-percent local and will not include adult entertainment "or anything derogatory."

"Other towns have zoning and we don't. That's why we're getting hit so hard with them," said Darts.

The town does not have laws regulating the size and placement of billboards, but can regulate through building permits and yearly inspections. Planning board members are currently surveying town residents in an effort to gauge need and support for zoning.