Politics

City Council, Lamar Reach Truce Over Billboard

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The war over an electronic billboard downtown has raged on for months, pitting members of city council against Lamar Advertising.

Relationships have become so strained that the company actually sued five members of council, accusing them of plotting against them.

The issue over the sign boiled over this week causing a shakeup at City Hall, with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's press secretary resigning, and the head of the Urban Redevelopment Authority taking a leave of absence after acknowledging the receipt of expensive gifts from a Lamar Advertising executive.

But now it appears city council and Lamar have reached a truce of sorts.

Attorneys for both sides met behind closed doors and cooler heads seemed to have prevailed.

Lamar has agreed to cease working on the sign. The company went ahead and began putting up the sign saying they had a permit to do so, despite the claims of five city council members who claim the permit was not valid and that city zoning czar Pat Ford issued it without the appropriate reviews of the zoning board and the planning commission.

According to the agreement, the matter of the billboard is going back to both the zoning and the planning boards.

"It was a victory for the rule of law in that the zoning code will be complied with," Hugh McGough, an attorney for city council, said. "The hearing will go forward before the zoning board of adjustment and the public will have a chance to review the plan."

For now, the sniping between Lamar and council will also cease. The lawsuit filed against council members will be put on the shelf for now.

"There is no injunction and if at some point in the future it could be reactivated," McGough said.

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