Denver Council Bill 80 to let some billboards off the hook?

Baker has numerous billboards on Santa Fe Dr., Kalamath St., Broadway St., Alameda Ave. and 6th Ave.; there are also several aimed toward drivers on I-25; so i thought it was worth drawing some attention to Council Bill 80, a public hearing for which will be held on Monday, 8 March 2010

Baker has had issues with billboards in the past, notably the one at Broadway & Maple, which was enlarged and illuminated despite
being nonconforming; a significant number of Denver's billboards have sizes, shapes or locations that wouldn't be allowed under current zoning rules; these nonconforming billboards can be removed if they are abandoned or break other zoning rules

some have expressed some concern that Council Bill 80 will halt any action currently pending that might otherwise have forced removal of some specific nonconforming billboards; specifically, this language is in the bill:

[...] any nonconforming outdoor general advertising device in existence as of January 1, 2010 may be continued in operation and maintained after January 1, 2010; provided, however, that after January, 1, 2010, no such device shall be modified [...]

so in other words, if an event prior to 1 January might have put a billboard in jeopardy, this bill might be construed to cancel that jeopardy

Councilwoman Judy Montero wrote a summary of the changes on her blog in which she notes action is pending on several billboards in the city

a note of alarm is presented at the irascible Denver Direct

notably, this bill also would prohibit new LED billboards