The billboard that electrified Pittsburgh's government drew the eyes of city regulators yesterday, with fans saying it would energize the city's civic artery, while foes said it would spoil it.

None of those arguments may matter, since the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment is charged with deciding just one thing: whether the signs are essential to the operation of the new Grant Street Transportation Center.

"We need this digital board," A. Richard Glance, a planning consultant for Lamar Advertising, told the board. "The city needs something exciting like this."

"Under the zoning code [new] billboards are illegal Downtown," said City Council President Doug Shields. That can only be set aside, he argued, if respecting the code would create a hardship for the development. "There has been no demonstration of hardship here whatsoever."

Lamar wants to finish its 1,098-square-foot electronic billboard, and add a 1,082-square-foot ticker that would be given to the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, which owns the center. Both are far larger than the city code allows.

Lamar Vice President and General Manager Stan Geier testified that his firm has spent some $1.5 million on the curving sign. He wouldn't say whether the firm would sue if it is forced to take the sign down.

He emphasized that the sign was not Lamar's idea.

In 2003, the authority wanted to festoon the center with video screens, but it ran low on money. In 2006, the authority approached Lamar. The firm devised a plan to run ads on the billboard most of the time, but show video on special occasions.

Mr. Geier said that in early 2006, he took his firm's concept to the late Mayor Bob O'Connor, Mr. Shields and council members Tonya Payne and Dan Deasy.

"Everybody we spoke to was very excited about this project and wanted to bring this amenity to the city," said Mr. Geier. "We see ourselves in this as stepping up to the plate to do something for the community."

In December, the authority gave Lamar a lease to put signs on the center. A city administrator issued a permit without requiring hearings, since the firm agreed to take down six old billboards.

Such "swaps" started in Mayor Tom Murphy's administration. Mr. Shields and Councilman Bruce Kraus presented city Law Department writings suggesting that the trading of old billboards for new ones "should cease."

Claire Meehan, a resident of The Pennsylvanian across the street from the center, presented a petition opposing the billboard, signed by 80 tenants.

"We just feel it's a landmark building and this is the antithesis of what landmark restoration is all about," she said. "I think it ruins the integrity of that area."

Another Pennsylvanian tenant, Don Carter, president of Urban Design Associates, said he helped plan the junction of Grant Street and Liberty Avenue.

"I pass the partially constructed billboard at least twice a day, and I wince each time," he said.

The board probably won't make a decision for 12 weeks, after legal briefs are submitted and two board members weigh them. The third member, David Toal, won't participate because he does some work for Lamar.

The billboard debate "has caused this city untold harm," said Mr. Shields.

Council-mayor relations have been roiled by the billboard battle. Last week saw the angry resignation of Urban Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Pat Ford, who was involved in the billboard swaps and received Christmas gifts from a friend who is a Lamar executive.