By Arthur Foulkes
TERRE HAUTE — Two new billboards planned for South Third Street appear to be on ice.
After weeks of struggling to find a way to stop a Georgia-based company, Sign Language Media, from building the signs, it appears city officials have succeeded.
The Terre Haute Department of Engineering revoked the building permits it issued to Sign Language Media earlier this year after a recommendation from City Attorney Chou-il Lee. Lee said his understanding of city code indicates that anyone building a sign using electricity in the city is required to employ a “licensed electrical sign mechanic” and have an office that is open during regular business hours.
It could not be confirmed that Sign Language Media met these requirements, Lee said.
Lee’s opinion is not based on any changes in the city code, he said. Rather, it is based on his reading of the existing regulations regarding sign construction in the city.
“I don’t know how it has been done before,” Lee said Tuesday. But “this is the proper method when erecting a sign with electricity involved.”
In all, the engineering department revoked about six sign building permits in recent days in the wake of Lee’s opinion, said City Engineer Chuck Ennis. It was important to revoke all active permits, not just those issued to Sign Language Media, he said.
The section of city code dealing with the need for a licensed electrical sign mechanic is in the section dealing with licenses, Lee said. A separate section of the code is considered the city’s “sign ordinance.”
Sign Language Media found a “loophole” in the city’s sign ordinance allowing it to receive building permits for the billboards, Lee and other city officials said. In fact, after reading the sign ordinance, Lee originally advised the Department of Engineering that the ordinance did not prevent Sign Language Media from obtaining the permits it sought. Only later did Lee discover the licensing requirements in another part of the city code, he said.
The City Council, which appears strongly opposed to the building of new billboards in Terre Haute, is expected to vote at its regular meeting Dec. 9 to close the loophole that originally allowed Sign Language Media to obtain its permits.
Lamar Advertising Co., which owns many of the billboards in Terre Haute, did not have any building permits revoked under the new reading of city code, said Bob Caronna, general manager of Lamar’s Terre Haute office. In an interview with the Tribune-Star last month, Caronna said the company has not erected a new billboard in the city for several years.
Jeff Bose, owner of Ace Sign and Awning, said his company did have a building permit revoked by the city. However, Bose said his company employs a licensed electrician and will have no trouble meeting the requirement.
“It’s not a bad ordinance” as long as it is applied equally to all sign contractors, Bose said.
Sign Language Media planned to erect “double stacked” billboards at 910 and 1709 S. Third Street. An official with the company could not be reached Tuesday for comment.
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com
