The City Attorney recommends that City Council approve an ordinance authorizing an agreement between the City of Houston (“the City”) and JGI, Inc. (“JGI”). The proposed agreement provides for a significant reduction in the number of JGI owned billboards within the City’s jurisdiction, and thus helps to improve the aesthetic value of the affected areas.
The signs at issue were originally removed due to Texas Department of Transportation road widening projects. Pursuant to the City’s Sign Code (Section 4617 of the Building Code), JGI was permitted to relocate these signs to a new location for a period of ten years. These relocated signs are now due for removal.
In an effort to reduce the total number of billboards while simultaneously and summarily dispensing with many of the illegal signs currently owned by JGI, the parties have negotiated a settlement agreement. The proposed agreement is a compromise which resolves the outstanding sign-related issues between JGI and the City, without the expenditure of the considerable time and resources that would be required in the event of further litigation and enforcement regarding individual signs.
The subject agreement was negotiated in close consultation with Scenic Houston and Sign Administration, in an effort to identify those signs most needed for removal to enhance the City’s landscape. Similar agreements were previously negotiated and executed with two other sign companies, Outfront Media (formerly CBS Outdoor) and Sign Ad, Ltd. This agreement is consistent with the two previous agreements and completely resolves the matter of expired relocated signs.
JGI has agreed to remove, entirely at its own expense, by no later than September 30, 2016, the following signs:
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Street Address
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Districts
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1
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13150 Bissonnet
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ETJ
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2
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9695 1/2 Hempstead
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A
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3
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10045 1/2 Hempstead
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A
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4
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10645 1/2 Hempstead
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A
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5
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10701 1/2 Hempstead
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A
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6
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11415 1/2 Hempstead
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A
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7
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11975 1/2 Hempstead
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A
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8
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11400 ½ EASTEX FWY
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ETJ
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9
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22730 Kuykendahl
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ETJ
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10
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22730 ½ Kuykendahl
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ETJ
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11
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8110 Richmond Ave
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F
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12
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5803 Richmond Ave
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J
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13
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9805 Stuebner Airline
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ETJ
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In exchange for removing the 13 signs listed above, JGI will retain 4 of its expired relocated signs for a period of 20 additional years, as counted from the date of their expiration:
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Street Address
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Term Beginning
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New Term Expiration
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1
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6855 Southwest Fwy
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10/17/2006
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10/17/2026
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2
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5615 Southwest Fwy
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10/22/2008
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10/22/2028
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3
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8601 Southwest Fwy
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12/31/2007
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12/31/2027
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4
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11901 Katy Fwy
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3/15/2006
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3/15/2026
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_____________________________
City Attorney