Bill 78 “Relating to Sponsorships” would create a new Honolulu City Ordinance allowing the solicitation of financial contributions in return for advertising signs on city property (“city assets”). This includes, for example, any city buildings, parks, the Waikiki Shell, Blaisdell Arena, rail stations and cars, non-bus service city vehicles, park benches, sidewalks, fire hydrants and more.

The Outdoor Circle (TOC) opposes the bill as it is currently written, and believes it to not be consistent with the intent of the current state law (HRS Sect. 445-111) pertaining to offsite outdoor advertising.

TOC understands that Bill 78 was originally intended to encourage philanthropic contributions to improve our parks. This is a goal we support, and in fact have supported parks and beautification since our founding in 1912.

However, Bill 78 as currently written has potentially disastrous clauses allowing visual blight and signage across the island on city property and vehicles. If these clauses in the bill removing all references to signage (“visual recognition”) and lack of public input were to be removed, we would most likely be supportive of this measure.

The Outdoor Circle has been protecting Hawaii’s sense of place for over a century. Bill 78 is the latest affront to our protected view planes — of one of our most precious public assets. The bill as written would weaken our state sign laws by attempting to create an exception for sponsors who make a financial contribution to the city. Since 1926, off-site outdoor advertising has been banned by Hawaii state (and territorial) law.

It seems most civic-minded benefactors would not want to violate Hawaii’s long-standing ban against off-site advertising through contributing their name to unattractive blight across our beautiful state. Other forms of recognition provided such as events, publicity, proclamations, indoor plaques or online recognition would provide ample acknowledgement of gifts and donations.

If Bill 78 were to pass as written, it would likely be subjected to legal challenges. If these sponsorship signs should survive a court challenge, the state of Hawaii billboard ban would be permanently weakened, subject to numerous other exceptions in the future.

A decade ago, The Outdoor Circle and the City and County of Honolulu joined hands to defend the state billboard law against a court challenge from those who wanted to pull giant billboards behind airplanes in the skies over Oahu. The state law banning all billboards was upheld by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals because it applies to everyone equally with no exceptions.

The natural beauty of these islands supports our tourism industry and enhances the quality of life for all of our residents. We must support and vigilantly protect our laws against sign clutter in order to preserve our visual environment for future generations.

Hawaii’s long-standing billboard ban has greatly benefited our island home by protecting it from sign proliferation that obscures the view of landscapes in so many of the mainland states.

Bill 78 is a far-reaching policy change that reaches far beyond park facilities. It attempts to subvert state law and threatens Hawaii’s priceless beauty. It must be rejected or amended by the City Council. We ask City Council members to join us once again, and stand up against weakening the state’s billboard laws.