Flagler County Banning Billboards

FLAGLER COUNTY -- Business is booming at a Flagler County car wash.

Even though it's located off the beaten path, customers found it.

"Probably through the billboards originally,” said customer Kristin Moraitis.

Even though new businesses are popping up in the county, new billboards will not be because of a new ordinance approved by county commissioners.

"This new ordinance will outlaw any new billboards and we're going to be meeting with billboard companies to see if we can reduce the number of billboards we have now," said Carl Laundrie, Flagler County spokesman.

Independently owned billboards already in place will not be taken down.

"We've got great word of mouth advertising going on, but we need more.  We need signs,” said business owner Terry Colletti.  “If it's not under their nose or in front of them they don't see it."

There are no electronic billboards in Flagler County, and there may never be.

Flagler County commissioners want an outright ban of electronic billboards. They say signs are distracting.

"The images changing, it flashes, it's distracting to traffic. People will end up looking at the billboard rear end another car," Laundrie said.

Commissioners want to show potential developers an old Florida.

They believe they can best advertise that with fewer billboards.

Laundrie says that even if old billboards are torn down, new ones cannot go up in their place.

The ban on new and electronic billboards is in unincorporated Flagler County and includes billboards along Interstate 95.