Billboard company drops suit against city

City officials are happy with the outcome.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- A local billboard company has dropped its lawsuit against city officials, who had refused permits for the business to place billboards along U.S. Route 422.
Go Outdoor Advertising LLC, Henry Street, Girard, filed suit against Mayor James Melfi and the zoning department over refusal by city officials to issue permits for four outdoor advertising billboards.
The company, in the initial court filing, said its representatives went to the city on numerous occasions in 2004 for permits but were denied.
Law Director Mark Standohar said the mayor and zoning officials did not feel the proposed billboards would be beneficial to the city in light of upgrades and beautification work along Route 422. He also said council was busy at the time preparing new regulations regarding billboards and did not wish to issue any new permits.
"I certainly did not want the city cluttered with additional billboards after the 422 widening and beautification project," Melfi said.
New regulations
City officials developed new regulations for billboard placement in 2005.
The new regulations do not allow any new billboards to be placed between Gordon Street and the Golf Dome building on Route 422. Standohar said the company's request for permits fell directly into the newly imposed no-billboard zone enacted by council.
"Basically, they are trying to allow billboards only on the outskirts of town, not in the main area where all the improvements have been made," he said.
Standohar said the company, after several hearings, decided to drop the suit against city officials.
"It is a positive result for the city, and we are certainly happy to have this outcome," he said.
Atty. Gary VanBrocklin, who represented the billboard company, declined to comment on the suit or the decision to drop it.
jgoodwin@vindy.com