"Whereas, billboards and other forms of outdoor advertising are becoming a matter of increasing concern to many resident..."

So began the joint resolution of the Vermont State Assembly in 1967, when it created the Committee to Study Outdoor Advertising, which included future U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords.  It held public hearings, conducted research and reviewed the relevant law on outdoor advertising.

According to the Committee's report, "Our scenic resources...have contributed much to our economic development by attracting tourists,...residents, and new industries and cultural facilities. ...[T]he scattering of outdoor advertising throughout the state is detrimental to the preservation of these resources, and consequently to the economic base of the state."

In 1968, Vermont prohibited new billboards and provided an amortization period of five years to remove existing billboards.  By 1974, Vermont felled its last billboard.

In 1997, the state commissioned an independent study of outdoor advertising to review the success of the billboard ban and to assess other forms of advertising.  Public opinion polls and studies echoed the 1967 report.  The study stated that traveler information solutions must maintain Vermont's quality environment, continue to prohibit billboards, and prevent sign clutter.

Twenty-five years have passed and Vermont is as proud as ever to be billboard-free! 

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