Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said he will consider submitting a proposed Grant Street billboard for approval, in response to concerns on City Council on the legality of its permit.

"Whatever needs to be done, we'll do," Mr. Ravenstahl said, minutes before the start of today's council hearing on the billboard. "We feel that we acted appropriately. If, for whatever reason, we have to go back through the [Zoning Board of Adjustment], for example, that's something I'd be comfortable with and fine with."

The 1,200-square-foot LED billboard, slated for the Grant Street Transportation Center that is being built by the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, would be built and operated by Lamar Advertising. That firm would pay the approximately $7 million construction cost, plus rent that would start at $3,000 a month and steadily rise to $4,392 a month in 2034. It was approved by Zoning Administrator Susan Tymoczko in consultation with Urban Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Pat Ford, both of whom decided that numerous city code provisions requiring public hearings and votes for Downtown construction and new signs did not apply.

Members of the administration repeated their arguments today that no public process was required because the city has established a precedent of allowing Lamar to replace multiple vinyl billboards with smaller LED signs.

"This is a process that actually began under Mayor Tom Murphy's administration, continued through Mayor O'Connor, and then obviously now in my administration," Mr. Ravenstahl said.

The Parking Authority executed a license agreement with Lamar on Dec. 21. Mr. Ravenstahl was asked whether there is any concern that Lamar could sue the city if the sign permit is now reversed.

"The potential exists for that," the mayor said. "But that's something we'll try to work through throughout this process."

Council members then spent hours questioning Ms. Tymoczko, Planning Director Noor Ismail and City Solicitor George Specter regarding the particulars of the process the sign permit went through.

Council President Doug Shields argued that at the very least, the sign permit should have been the subject of hearings and votes by the City Planning Commission and council.

Councilman Bruce Kraus called it "highly irresponsible" that the city never got a legal opinion from its in-house attorneys on the sign.

Two hours into the meeting, tempers began to flare.

Councilman Patrick Dowd objected to the interrogatory tone of parts of the meeting. "This feels like we're playing attorneys on television," he said.

Councilman Jim Motznik became adamant that council bring Mr. Ford to the table to explain the permitting decision.

"We have someone who can answer your question sitting in the audience!" he shouted at Mr. Kraus. "You're wasting our time! Bring him to the table!"

Council expects to bring Mr. Ford to the table later in the afternoon.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.