Oct 31, 2002 By Patty Shultz 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – A local businessman has cleared his final hurdle and won the approval of the city planning commission to complete construction of an outdoor advertising sign. After a lengthy hearing on the matter, the four planning board members voted unanimously Wednesday to allow Randy Strickler to move forward with the construction project on the city’s West Side.

The commission had delayed ruling on the matter for nearly a month after certain city council members criticized the building and the city initiated a lawsuit.

Mayor Judy Reed, who has spearheaded the opposition, said she was only concerned about the health and safety of the motorists traveling through the intersection of Crawford Avenue and routes 119 and 201, where Strickler is putting up the building.

“The objection that I had on behalf of the city and on behalf of the residents was the unsafe situation at the intersection where you cannot see (other motorists traveling through the intersection),” Reed said after the hearing. “I will be holding feet to the fire. I will be with PennDOT to make sure there are no accidents over there. They are the ones responsible now.”

Because of the controversy surrounding the issue, commission solicitor Kirk Sohonage conducted the special meeting in a hearing format that permitted testimony from those supporting and opposing the project.

“I have a feeling however this turns out the decision will be appealed,” Sohonage said as he explained why he deviated from how the panel regularly conducts its meetings.

Strickler’s legal counsel, attorney Richard Bower, reviewed the application with the board that had been filed May 20. It was learned in September, after construction began, that the commission had not publicly reviewed it.

The 38-foot-tall, four-sided building will have a finished surface and will hold four electronic multimedia advertising signs when completed.

“I could have stuck a girder in the ground and stuck a sign on it, but I wanted it to look nice,” said Strickler.

Reed asked Bower and Strickler about numerous issues, including construction materials, PennDOT approval and the building’s conformance to city regulations. While the city has jurisdiction over the structure, PennDOT must authorize the installation of the signs.

PennDOT, said Bower, conducted a traffic study before granting its authorization for the construction.

City resident Fritz Rulli praised Strickler for initiating business within the city and said he had made several trips through the intersection to determine whether the building would obscure the vision of motorists, as the mayor had stated. “There is no safety issue there,” he said. “Let’s give this guy a chance.”

About 40 people attended the session in support of Strickler.

After the testimony, cross-examination and comment period, Sohonage told the board there were no city ordinances on which it could base a denial of the permit.

“I have found nothing that he has violated,” said Sohonage, noting that Strickler had abided by setback lines and zoning regulations. “You have no authority to deny the permit.”

The four board members – Samuel Spotto, Tom Trimpey, David Leeder and Kristen Porter -voted yes to issuing the building permit.

Strickler, who was reinstated to the commission Tuesday by Fayette County Judge Steve Leskinen after council had earlier replaced him, abstained from voting.

Bower said he was pleased with the outcome, but he chastised Reed for slowing the commission’s action on the application.

“Where were all the people that opposed this (application)?” said Bower. “There was only one and she alone held up construction for six weeks.

“(In a recent newspaper editorial) she talked about how the city follows procedure. This is the second time in two days she has been shown she hasn’t followed proper procedure.”

Reed said city solicitor Joseph Ferens will be instructed to halt any legal proceedings taken against Strickler in connection with the building permit.

“The only reason we took action was because he didn’t have a valid permit,” she said. “He now has a valid permit.”