Indianapolis residents may notice no immediate change to the city’s billboard landscape after Indiana State Rep. Jim Pressel effectively ended a legislative attempt to override local regulations. The House Roads and Transportation Committee chair, frustrated by a recurring dispute between the city and the outdoor advertising industry, removed a bill from consideration on February 16, 2026, signaling a desire for a locally-driven solution to the ongoing billboard debate.
The core of the conflict centers on the ability of billboard companies to relocate existing signs. The industry seeks the freedom to move billboards to any commercially or industrially zoned property within Indianapolis, while city officials aim to maintain stricter control over placement. This isn’t the first time lawmakers have been asked to intervene; a similar proposal was stalled by Pressel in 2024, with a request for the parties to negotiate a compromise.
While the city asserts a compromise was reached, the billboard industry disputes that claim. The Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development says it met with representatives, including Reagan Outdoor Advertising and drafted an ordinance fulfilling six of the industry’s ten requests. These included allowances for increased billboard heights and digital displays of gas prices. However, the city maintained its prohibition on fresh billboards inside I-465, a key concern for neighborhood groups, and limited relocation options to within the same parcel or outside the I-465 loop.
Dan McClendon, general manager for Reagan Outdoor Advertising, told lawmakers the city’s proposal was presented as a final offer, leaving little room for meaningful negotiation. He stated the industry felt “stonewalled” when attempting to appeal directly to city-county councilors. The ordinance was ultimately approved unanimously by the City-County Council in January 2025, according to reporting from The Indiana Lawyer.
Legislative Intervention and a “Poison Pill”
Despite the city’s efforts, the billboard industry brought the issue back to the state legislature this year in the form of Senate Bill 167, sponsored by Sen. Blake Doriot, a Republican from Goshen. The bill passed the Senate with a vote of 28-17. Pressel responded with a strategic maneuver, adopting an amendment on February 9 that both sides found unacceptable. The amendment mandated the removal of all billboards in Marion County by January 1, 2027, with any new signs restricted to historic neighborhoods.
“I reckon it was a motivator on both sides,” Pressel told IndyStar, hoping the drastic measure would force a genuine negotiation. However, he expressed disappointment with the subsequent talks, characterizing them as “one-sided” from the industry’s perspective. He possesses a substantial record of communications between the city and the industry, reportedly a “3-inch-thick binder,” demonstrating the length of the dispute.
A Call for Local Resolution
Pressel’s decision to kill the bill marks the second time he has intervened to halt state-level action on the Indianapolis billboard regulations. He emphasized his belief that the issue is not a matter for the General Assembly. “I don’t believe this to be a General Assembly issue,” he stated during the February 16 committee meeting. “I’m removing the bill from the calendar, killing it, however you want to put it.”
The future of Indianapolis’s billboard regulations now rests with local stakeholders. Whether the city and the outdoor advertising industry can reach a mutually acceptable agreement remains to be seen. Attempts to reach McClendon and Doriot for comment on February 16 were unsuccessful. The situation highlights the challenges of balancing economic interests with local control and community concerns regarding urban development.
What comes next will depend on whether both sides are willing to engage in good-faith negotiations. The city has already demonstrated a willingness to compromise, but the industry appears to be seeking more substantial changes to the existing ordinance. The outcome will likely shape the visual landscape of Indianapolis for years to come.
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