Code of the District of Columbia

§ 9–1154. Advertising.

(a) The franchisee is authorized to sell commercial advertisement space on no more than 2 sides of a single end of the bus shelters which have been designated by the Mayor to contain advertisement. The end of the bus shelter with advertisement shall be opposite the end nearest the approaching buses. Ten percent of the total available advertisement space shall be made available for public service announcements and advertisements regarding community, art, cultural, educational and similar events. This shall include public service notices which the District of Columbia government may want to post. The amount of such public service announcements and advertisements shall be determined by the total number of hours the advertisement is displayed in a calendar year.

(b) The Mayor shall establish procedures for the review of proposed advertisements.

(c) The Mayor shall approve or disapprove any proposed advertisement submitted within 10 working days of its receipt, setting forth in writing the reason or reasons for any disapproval. Any proposed advertisement not disapproved by the Mayor within 10 working days of its receipt shall be deemed to have been approved.

(d) The franchisee shall remove any advertisement which the Mayor determines to be deceptive, misleading, untruthful, obscene, or in violation of Chapter 39 of Title 28 within 15 days from receipt of a request from the Mayor.

(e) No more than 50% of the advertisements posted shall relate to tobacco or alcoholic products. This amount shall be determined by the total number of hours the advertisement is displayed in a calendar year.

(f) At least 10 of the bus shelters to be installed by the franchisee shall not have advertisements on them.

(g) No bus shelters with advertisements shall be permitted in public spaces which are immediately adjacent to residential districts of the City zoned R-1, R-2, R-3, or R-4 by the Zoning Commission.