COUNCIL OKS AD LIMITS; LANCASTER RULES WILL TARGET BILLBOARD TYPES.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Billboards advertising alcohol, tobacco or phone-sex services would be banned in much of Lancaster under a series of ordinances being enacted by the city.

Following the lead of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, the Lancaster City Council approved three ordinances that would ban such signs within 200 feet of residentially zoned land or within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, youth centers, child care centers or churches.

``It's a good start, before we get inundated,'' said Ray Chavira, chairman of the High Desert Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Policy Coalition, which pushed for the billboard restrictions.

The ordinances, approved unanimously Tuesday night, will have a second reading before the council in April before becoming effective.

Billboard advertising alcohol, cigarettes or phone sex don't pose a problem in Lancaster now, said Councilwoman Michelle Idleman. City officials observed the actions being taken by the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County and thought the ordinances would be good measures for the future, she said.

``It's more of a preventative measure,'' Idleman said. ``When we go through another growth spurt, and I'm sure we will, I want to make sure those billboards aren't around sensitive areas.''

``The city of Lancaster strongly supports classroom education and other youth programs designed to reduce youth tobacco use,'' the tobacco ordinance reads. ``Outdoor advertising that encourages and glamorizes tobacco use in areas where children reside, play, and attend religious services and school undercut these education efforts.''

The ordinance related to alcohol contained similar language and cited research stating alcoholic beverage advertising influences underage drinking.

The phone-sex billboard ordinance stated that children could be exposed to the advertising simply by walking to school or playing in their neighborhoods and that their parents have no way to monitor or limit their exposure.

Of Lancaster's 126 billboards, all but 24 fall within the limits proposed by the new ordinances, city officials said. But the city has only about eight signs advertising alcohol - and none for cigarettes or phone sex - and none of those would be affected, officials said.

Those eight are in commercial or industrial areas.

Los Angeles County supervisors in June adopted three ordinances banning billboard advertising of tobacco and alcohol within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, parks and playgrounds, and of phone-sex services within 1,000 feet of residential areas as well.

The rules affected billboards in unincorporated areas like Littlerock, Acton and Pearblossom.

In September, the Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 for a ban on any billboards or window displays advertising alcohol or tobacco products within 1,000 feet of schools, residential areas or locations where young people gather.