City Attorney Moves Against 'Supergraphic' Signs

The City Attorney's office on Tuesday announced it filed civil injunctions against 27 sign companies, sign installers and property owners for illegally putting up super-sized advertisements known as "supergraphic" signs in Los Angeles. It declared that the displays are public nuisances and seeks their removal as well as $10 million in penalties and fines and millions in "gross revenue generated by the erection of these signs," according to an office statement.

The office cited the city's "permanent ban on supergraphic and off-site signs" enacted in August, which applies to mega-sized advertisements that are often draped down high-profile, high-rise buildings. Defendants include World Wide Mediacom, World Wide Rush, Yamit Enterprises, Citywide Pete, Mediacom Inc., Barry L. Rush, Leslye M. Rush, Paul Fisher, Peter Zachery and Scott Krantz.

The office states that "companies and individuals engaged in the outdoor advertising business" have "erected these supergraphic signs in violation of that ban, as well as [in violation of] California's Outdoor Advertising Act, Unfair Competition Law and public nuisance laws, in addition to numerous other state laws and local ordinances."

The signs in question advertise movies, TV shows, and products from Nike, Honda, Tropicana, Pepsi and Coors, the City Attorney's office states. Twelve locations were targeted, including Howard Hughes Center, the Sherman Oaks Galleria and seven freeway-adjacent locales.

The City Attorney's office is seeking $5,000 for each day a sign was illegally in place as well as an additional $10,000 flat penalty for each freeway-adjacent sign and $100 for each day the defendants don't take down a sign from here on out.