Bill would make it easier for billboard companies to cut down trees

[Tony_FLADEM]

Source: St. Petersburg Times

One of the biggest problems facing the billboard industry is the tree. Trees growing next to highways can get in the industry's business, literally. Sometimes drivers passing by can't see the billboards for the trees.

Right now Florida law says that billboard companies can cut down trees growing on the state's roadsides for up to 500 feet from a billboard — so long as they get a permit from the state, pay money to a fund for planting more trees elsewhere, and tear down a certain number of billboards that don't meet state standards.

State Sen. Greg Evers wants to change all that. Evers, R-Baker, is sponsoring a bill that would let billboard companies decide for themselves whether they want to make up for chopping down trees that belong to taxpayers.


Read more: www.tampabay.com/news/environment/article1165989.ece

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Who needs to have trees. It's not like they provide any benefit for human beings. I'm sure people would prefer to see endless billboards for gentleman establishments. :sarcasm:

[shraby]

1. Yup, billboards can really take in carbon dioxide and give off

oxygen just as good as any tree! Isn't that great? We give up nothing and even get the opportunity to read while driving. :sarcasm:

[CurtEastPoint]

2. Did the SAME thing here in GA. GOP, ya know.

The legislation, which now heads to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature, would let billboard owners clear-cut trees in front of their signs.

[izquierdista]

3. There's nothing wrong with billboards....

...that a few kudzu vines can't fix.

[formercia]

10. Kudzu will grow well in FL, Methinks.

:evilgrin:

[AndyTiedye]

6. The GOP in FL and GA Know That Election Fraud Will Keep Them In Power No Matter What

[Capitalocracy]

4. There's something which really pisses me off about this.

Whose trees are these? Whose land are they on? Private land? People living on their own private property are being invaded to have their trees cut down to clear a line of sight for someone else's billboard? Or are we talking about public property? In other words, they're cutting down OUR trees to clear a line of sight for billboards we don't actually want to see?

Maybe billboard companies should have to just buy the entire area making up the line of sight to their billboard, and if they don't own that and there happens to be a tree in the way, tough shit, build your billboard elsewhere. But that would be the free market and protecting private property. Can't have that, not if it gets in the way of making a buck.

Edit: After taking a moment to check out the link, they're public trees. They're OUR trees these guys are cutting down.

Free market my ass. Let's see what happens if I decide to go start cutting down trees on public property. Not gonna fly, unless I happen to own a billboard.

[freshwest]

7. +100,000

[thucythucy]

5. I think that I shall never see

a billboard lovely as a tree;
indeed, unless the billboards fall
I'll never see a tree at all.

-- Ogden Nash

[Odin2005]

8. Corporatism in action, right here.

:grr:

[Art_from_Ark]

9. Kick for the trees

:kick: