Lamar to remove Downtown electronic billboard by Sept. 1
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The partially completed electronic billboard on the Grant Street Transportation Center, Downtown, will be coming down by Sept 1, the civic group Scenic Pittsburgh announced today.
In March, Scenic Pittsburgh sued Lamar, the city and the city parking authority to remove the billboard, a source of controversy for years.
Lamar will pay for the billboard's removal, Mike Dawida, executive director of Scenic Pittsburgh, said.
In 2007, according to the suit, the parking authority and Lamar reached agreement on the construction of a 1,900-square-foot LED billboard and ticker.
The project required two variances, partly because of the ticker's size. Yet a city zoning administrator issued a permit for the project without requiring the authority or Lamar to seek the variances.
In 2008, council members Patrick Dowd, Ricky Burgess, Bruce Kraus, Bill Peduto and Doug Shields objected to the project. The city revoked the permit, and Lamar and the parking authority agreed to go through the variance process.
The city's Zoning Board of Adjustment rejected the variance requests. Common Pleas and Commonwealth courts upheld the board's decision, and Lamar did not appeal to the state Supreme Court.
When Lamar lost the legal fight, Scenic Pittsburgh said in March, the sign should have come down promptly. Yet the suit said the city took no action against Lamar or the parking authority.
Scenic Pittsburgh announced a settlement of the dispute today, saying the billboard will be taken down by Sept. 1.
"The story of this billboard is a lesson as to why it is important to carefully consider the consequences of allowing electronic billboards in our neighborhoods. Once you allow billboards to be built, they are nearly impossible to get rid of," Scenic Pittsburgh said in a statement.
First Published May 4, 2011 12:52 pm
