Billboard on Bee Caves Road set for January court case

The billboard at 8414 Bee Caves Road, Austin, is owned by Media Choice, an advertising company based in Westlake that offers billboards across the country, according to its website.

As of Dec. 18, a pullout for the Bee Caves Road billboard on the business’ website states: “We didn't break laws, we changed them! SB2038.”

A bill passed in the 1960s gave cities control of areas just outside city limits called the extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ, to regulate development outside city boundaries that could impact city residents. Residents in the ETJ, while subject to those regulations, do not have the ability to vote in municipal elections. Passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023, Senate Bill 2038 was an attempt from the state to address “concerns related to the rights of residents and property owners” in the ETJ when it comes to regulation, according to the bill’s statement of intent.

With SB 2038, landowners gained the right to petition or host a special election to leave the ETJ, a process that did not formerly exist, according to the statement of intent.

The property owner of the land where the Bee Caves Road billboard is located did petition for release from the ETJ on Oct. 7, but it wasn’t released from the ETJ until Nov. 21—both of which were months after the original citation was issued, according to the city.

For this reason, the city is still pursuing the two cases against the billboard and property owner, according to a city representative.

Media Choice did not respond to requests for comment.