Journal Reporter

Des Plaines officials are scrambling to deal with homeowners' strong complaints about a billboard near River Road and Touhy Avenue.

On July 1, Ald. Tom Becker (6th) and Mayor Tony Arredia met with approximately 40 people at the Police Neighborhood Resource Center, 1928 E. Touhy, to discuss the billboard quarrel.

An April 2003 agreement provides for the billboard company to finance the Des Plaines 4th of July fireworks displays each year from 2004 to 2007.

The company will pay $25,000 a year for that purpose.

"It's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous," said resident Cindy Ciero, who attended the meeting. "They sold out our neighborhood for a few years of fireworks."

The 4th of July Des Plaines fireworks display was canceled this year due to rainy conditions. It may be rescheduled for the Labor Day weekend.

In addition to the fireworks, the billboard company agreed to pay a $15,000 "impact fee" to the city for each of the 10 billboard locations.

An Apr. 25, 2003 letter from the Premere billboard company to the city reads "Premere agrees to pay a Fifteen Thousand ($15,000.00) impact fee to the City of Des Plaines per each of the ten locations granted by the City Council on April 7, 2003."

Premere has since entered into a "joinder agreement" with Lamar Outdoor Advertising of Baton Rouge, La. This agreement means that Lamar, one of the largest National billboard companies, purchased the Des Plaines billboard contract from Premere.

Some officials feel this business development led to the current problems, since Lamar was not as familiar with local developments on this issue.

In addition, the billboard company agreed to allow the city the use of the billboard to announce public events and programs for two months a year free of charge.

Residents say their property values have decreased due to the billboard sign. One resident consulted a Realtor and was advised the billboard reduced their property value by $20,000.

The 99-foot billboard is located near the corner of Touhy Avenue and River Road on the site of a printing company.

The sign looms above residential backyards near Estes Avenue and Parkwood Lane.

A Feb. 20 city ordinance raised the permitted height of billboards to 99 feet.

Aldermen voted 4 to 4 on the ordinance with the mayor casting the tie-breaking vote in favor of the motion.

In addition to raising the permitted height, the later ordinance also changed the permitted number of new billboards from 10 to 12.

Kathy Yoshida, a resident who also attended last week's meeting, said the deal exchanging fireworks for the billboard amounts to "bribery."

She called the billboard "a slap in the face" and wants it removed.