Council still hung up on sign

City Council has had some heated discussions about one particular digital billboard for more… City Council has had some heated discussions about one particular digital billboard for more than a month since the city zoning administrator approved a $7 million sign to be placed at the Grant Street Transportation Center without consulting City Council.

And the city’s signage saga is far from over.

In yesterday’s meeting, council members took up three pieces of legislation related to the signage issue.

The first and most controversial was a resolution sponsored by Councilman Bruce Kraus and Council President Doug Shields that would place a six-month moratorium on the approval and erection of all signs citywide.

Council members agreed that the legislation would only apply to billboards used for commercial advertising and would exempt the signage of churches and other community groups.

But after Councilwoman Tanya Payne said she would rather delay the final vote for further study, Solicitor George Specter approached the table and requested that council seek an executive session, held in private with himself, before taking a final vote on the moratorium.

Kraus and Councilman Patrick Dowd contested the need for a delay. When Kraus asked Specter why he thought an executive session was necessary, Specter said he would rather not address the issue until the executive session.

Dowd then asked Specter if a delay would permit any billboards to be approved in the meantime.

“It’s my understanding that if an amendment is made to the code, any legislation is held in abeyance until that amendment takes effect,” Dowd said.

Specter seemed to sidestep the question and then said he would fully answer it during the executive session, which was planned for next Tuesday.

Councilman Bill Peduto agreed to the executive session but made his frustration known.

“My intention is to help calm the water. This bill is a resolution, not an ordinance,” Peduto said. “Unfortunately, rather than cooling off, it’s become a cauldron of fire.”

Peduto did agree, however, to meet with Specter on a weekly basis to discuss legislation facing the council ahead of time.

The council then took a preliminary vote. The vote, 3-0, with four abstentions and two councilmen absent, signaled a tentative approval.

In separate legislation, the board postponed Peduto’s resolution calling for an investigation into Zoning Administrator Susan Tymoczko’s December decision to approve a 1,200-square-foot LED sign above the Grant Street Transportation Center. The matter will be taken up again in four weeks.

“We felt it was best to hold off on any investigation given that we have moved forward with an appeal to the zoning board of adjustment,” Dan Gilman, Peduto’s spokesman, said.

In a similar bill to the moratorium issue, the board debated amending the language of Pittsburgh city code as it relates to signage. The board made minor corrections to the code’s definition of a sign.

Councilwoman Darlene Harris wanted to add wording that would ensure electric signs using solar or wind power would not be exempted from the definition. Shields and Councilman Ricky Burgess thought this was unnecessary, but co-sponsor Kraus agreed to change the wording to say “regardless of the source of electricity.”

After voting unanimously to approve the new wording, Burgess joked that the code might not include electric signs powered by mice. In a sign of lessening tension, the council laughed, unanimously.

-Senior Staff Writer Lauren Mylo contributed to this report