Firm fights for digital billboards

LAFAYETTE — A local outdoor advertising company is going to court in an effort to force city-parish government to approve a conversion to digital billboards.
Bass Ltd., which has dozens of billboards along Interstate 49, Interstate 10 and U.S. 90, argues unfair treatment because permits for digital billboards were approved for competitor Lamar Advertising, a national outdoor advertising company based in Baton Rouge.
“What we’re talking about here is giving permits to one company and not giving permits to another without reason,” Bass attorney Alan Breaud said.
The attorney said that Bass has been trying to secure permits to convert billboards to digital since Lamar was granted similar permits in December 2005.
“He’s being kept out of the market,” Breaud said.
City-parish ordinances already prohibit new billboards in Lafayette Parish.
What’s at issue in the Bass lawsuit is whether the company may convert five of its billboards to digital — four of those near the high-traffic area at I-49 and I-10.
Digital billboards are similar in size and appearance to conventional billboards but can scroll through several digital advertisements each minute.
The lawsuit comes as the City-Parish Council is mulling a proposed sign ordinance that would restrict the size and appearance of business signs and allow conventional billboards to be converted to digital only if existing billboards are taken down in exchange.
The Lafayette Planning and Zoning Commission has responded to Bass that no digital billboard conversions will be approved while discussions are pending on the ordinance, which aims to reduce the clutter of signs common in some areas of the parish.
But the lawsuit questions why city-parish officials allowed Lamar Advertising to convert existing billboards to digital but has not allowed Bass to do the same.
“We cannot comment on pending litigation, but hopefully we’ll be able to work this out,” City-Parish Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley said.
The issue is set for a hearing on Oct. 8 before 15th Judicial District Judge Kristian Earles.
Breaud said he will request to schedule the hearing sooner, because Bass is competing at a disadvantage every day the company cannot offer digital billboards to clients while its competitor can.
The attorney said the city-parish’s position is tantamount to telling Bass: “You just stay out of business while we contemplate on this.”
Breaud said that in addition to allowing Lamar to convert existing billboards to digital, city-parish government has also approved other digital signs for businesses.
“Everybody has digital,” Breaud said, comparing conventional signs to “a car without air conditioning.”

Source: By RICHARD BURGESS Advocate Acadiana bureau Published: Aug 28, 2007