Carroll County residents looking to get rid of more than 300 billboards that line the county's highways did not get encouraging news last night.

A proposed amendment to the county sign law would bar new billboards only.

Few, if any, new billboards would be erected regardless because the county is essentially "built out" as far as outdoor advertising is concerned, zoning administrator George L. Beisser told a small group of concerned residents.

Billboards, other than those that existed before Aug. 17, 1965, are allowed only in commercial and business zones. The only way more billboards could be built, Beisser said, would be for the county to rezone additional property for commercial and industrial use.

Valerie Schultz, first vice president of the South Carroll Business Association, told Beisser last night, "I am adamantly opposed to billboards." The meeting was the third Beisser has held on proposed changes in the sign law. He has met with representatives of the sign and billboard industry and with the Chamber of Commerce.

Pub Date: 7/30/98