Published: September 05, 2008 11:27 pm         

Blocking his view

Neighbor complains about new billboard across from his home.

Garry Boller says the view from his corner lot has been tainted by the recent construction of a billboard across the street.

“I walk out my front door and see a great big billboard,” said Boller, who lives at 18th Street and Erie Avenue. “That’s really something to look forward to.”

Priceless Banners recently built a two-level, four-paneled billboard in the lot where Nelson Screw once operated. Dave Price, owner of the outdoor advertising and graphics company, said he made an investment in Logansport and his company.

“We’re doing this to grow our business,” Price said in a recent interview.

Boller made his sentiment known at a city council meeting this week.

“I feel that this is devaluing my property,” said Boller, who has resided in the house at 1731 Erie Ave. since 1965. “It’s an eyesore.”

Boller complained of a lack of warning.

“Why can’t you notify the people around there so we can file a complaint instead of spring it right on us?” he asked.

Boller said the council had authority to stop the billboard, but Mayor Mike Fincher said that was not the case. Council members and the mayor say an ordinance now in the works would prevent billboards so close to a residential area, but that ordinance was not passed in time for Boller’s neighborhood.

“It was zoned light industry and that zoning area allows a billboard,” Fincher said.

Councilman Kerry Worthington said even he didn’t know about the billboard until he saw it going up.

“We have been trying to keep this from happening,” Worthington said at the meeting. “It’s been a controversial thing back and forth between planning department and city council.”

Billboard issues have been before the council multiple times in the last year. In an interview after the meeting, Plan Director Stan Williams said the council had twice voted down a measure that would have required all new billboard construction to go before the BZA for review. Doing so would have allowed neighbors such as Boller to voice their opinion before the billboard went up.

Under the current ordinance, no notice was required.

Williams said that because the problem of single-site industrial zoning next to residential neighborhoods still exists throughout the city, the plan commission intended to review the matter once again and possibly bring forth a new ordinance for council members to consider.

On Tuesday, city council did vote 7-0 in favor of extending the required setback of off-premise signage from 100 feet to 200 feet, which would have prevented the billboard at 18th and Erie.

At the meeting, Worthington claimed the billboard company knew about the proposed ordinance.

“That’s why it went up so fast,” Worthington said. “He did it under the gun.”

Price denied that.

“That’s not correct,” he said.

The new billboard had been in the works before he learned of the ordinance, he said. There are only certain areas in town that still permit billboards. As a businessman, Price has studied those areas.

“I am doing everything I can to enhance the business environment in Logansport,” Price said.

For the last 45 years, billboards have been allowed in the community, but recent efforts to tighten restrictions hurt not only his business, but the business of others because they have fewer options for outdoor advertising, Price contended.

“We’re following the rules as written, but they keep getting tougher and tougher in Logansport,” Price said.

Apparently the demand is there. All four panels of his latest billboard are filled with ads.

Worthington said he had spoken to the property owner, Ken Worman. He said he liked that Worman was cleaning up a place that had been vacant for some 10 years, but he said he disagreed with Worman’s decision to install the billboard just up the street from a proposed 18th Street gateway into the community.

“I told him I wasn’t real happy with it, but it’s not my property,” Worthington said. “After tonight, someone won’t be able to do that.”

“What good does that do me and the neighborhood?” Boller asked.

“That’s why we are changing the law tonight,” Worthington said.

“It’s too late,” Boller said.

“I understand, but it’s too late for you, but hopefully it won’t be too late for the next guy,” Worthington said. “All we can do is apologize.”

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com