WOODSTOCK – Heeding pleas from municipalities, the McHenry County Board imposed a temporary ban on approving more permits to build electronic billboards in unincorporated areas.

Members voted Tuesday evening, 13-8, in favor of the ban, waiving the 30-day review for changes to ordinance. The ban takes effect immediately and lasts until either the board approves its unified development ordinance or mid-April, whichever comes first.

Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Lakewood and Lake in the Hills asked the county for a moratorium out of frustration with a surge of requests by sign companies to erect the large video screens on unincorporated land outside of their boundaries, where the county’s sign rules are less strict but set to get stricter with the unified development ordinance.