Denise who lives on P St NW has been inquiring into the billboards that cause an eyesore on New Jersey Ave/4th St, and P St NW. She’s written the following for community awareness:
We’ve established through the Permit Operations branch of DCRA that there are no permits for billboards in that location. Quoting an email from that department: “regarding illegal billboards located in Square 0521 Lot 0800 our records indicate that there is no legal address or permits for billboards.”
We’ve also established that the billboards are not part of the “Special Sign” provision: Quoting an email from Dorthy Boone, DCRA: “It is not one of the 32 legal Special Signs.” This list is also available online here.
Given that the billboards are not part of the Special Sign provision, and are without permit, according to D.C. Law 3107.7.6.6, “Permit Required. No billboards shall be erected, placed, maintained or relocated within the District of Columbia unless an application for permit is approved by the code official,” the billboards are without legal standing.
Working closely with Ward 5 Outreach Coordinator, Alice Thompson, BACA President, Jim Berry, ANC Commissioner 5C01, Anita Bonds, we are pressuring DCRA to enforce city codes and law to issue a notice of removal.
Bates Area Civic Association 
I know from other residents that this is not the first time this issue has been addressed. To no avail in past efforts, so let’s hope that we have more luck or persistence or patience or government attention to the issue this time. Thanks for taking up this issue.
Caryn
Any ideas for reuse? Caryn and I have toyed with the idea of making it some sort of green space, but these things take time. Until then, I might head over with some spare compost and flower seeds.
Any idea who owns the land that the billboards are on?
Here is the current Property Detail from the Real Property Database for Square/Lot 0521 0800:
Record Details
Neighborhood: OLD CITY II
Sub-Neighborhood: A
Use Code: 91 – Vacant-True
Class 3 Exception: No
Tax Type: TX – Taxable
Tax Class: 003 – Vacant
Homestead Status: ** Not receiving the Homestead Deduction
Assessor: ELLIS JACKSON
Gross Building Area:
Ward: 5
Land Area: 3,735
Triennial Group: 2
Owner and Sales Information
Owner Name: ROLLINS OUTDOOR
Mailing Address: 9590 LYNN BUFF CT STE 5; LAUREL MD20723-6311
Sale Price: Not Available
Sale Date: Not Available
Instrument No.:
Tax Year 2010 Preliminary Assessment Roll
Current Value / Proposed New Value (2010)
Land: $47,920 $47,920
Improvements: Not Available Not Available
Total Value: $47,920 $47,920
That’s very interesting. So the city could buy that land for $50,000?
Google gives me this address:
Rollins Outdoor Advertising & Broadcasting
4320 Bladensburg Rd
Cottage City, MD 20722
(301) 864-4727
I wonder if we contacted them if they would help us beautify that area.
Today, the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association sent a letter to DCRA Director Linda Argo supporting your efforts and asking DCRA to enforce the longstanding billboard moratorium. Our letter discusses and includes photographs of several illegal billboards in the greater Shaw area including 4th and P, 9th and P, 300 Block of New York Avenue NW, and 9th and L.