In 1968, Vermont was the first of four states, along with Maine, Hawaii and Alaska, to ban billboards. In their place, Vermont uses travel information signs along state highway corridors to guide residents and visitors to destinations that are located off those highways. Vermont’s ban on billboards was a big step in creating road corridors free of visual clutter.
The law does not regulate on-premise advertising signs — ones located on the same property as the business they are advertising. On-premise signs that are compatible with the character of the surrounding area can contribute to a community’s sense of place and identity, cultivate local pride, and invite people to stop. Municipalities can enact on-premise sign regulations with these things in mind.
VNRC assists municipalities in how to weigh and implement decisions related to signage — and much more. Read more this in our Community Planning Toolbox.
