Dec 22, 2003 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

The Uniontown Zoning Hearing Board has delayed action on a conditional use request from a city resident that wants to erect a billboard in front of the Sunset Bar at 177 S. Mount Vernon Ave. Andrew Berdar of Wood Street answered questions about his application at a hearing Thursday in City Hall. The board said it will issue its decision Jan. 15.

Berdar said the 10-by-20-foot off-premise sign would be leased to local businesses as advertising space. It would not be illuminated.

He told the board he has written permission from property owner Matthew Santore to place the sign in the area in front of the bar. The area is zoned C-1 for local business.

City code enforcement officer Myron Nypaver said the city’s zoning ordinance requires a conditional use permit for billboards in C-1 districts. Responding to questions from board member Peter Hook, Berdar said the billboard would be located 20 feet from the curb, and the bar’s sign would remain in its present location.

He said he owns one other sign, located along McKnight Road in Allegheny County, and leases it to a local jeweler.

Berdar said he would hire an engineer to design a base for the sign that is tall enough to prevent kids from climbing on it.

He said he would probably form a partnership with the property owner and split the income from the sign with him. He would offer one-year leases for the sign.

Responding to a question from board member Ken Minerd, he said the base would be two “I” beams about 9 feet tall.

He said he would like to rent both sides of the billboard to the same advertiser, but he could rent each side separately.

Responding to questions from board member Fred Dobek, Berdar said he would seek out local businesses as clients and there would be no electricity running to the sign. He said the sign would block the view of the front of the bar.

Jerome Shell, owner of the Jerome W. Shell Funeral Home, 164 S. Mount Vernon Ave., asked the board to reject the application because the sign would distract motorists, endangering children at four school bus stops in that area.

He said the sign would sit directly across the street from the funeral home, a house he bought next door to the funeral home and another adjacent family member’s home.

Shell said a billboard is a “nice way to make money,” but it would not add to the value of the neighborhood and would hurt small businesses in the area. He said he would submit his objections in writing.

In unrelated business, Nypaver said he is developing a new zoning hearing application that tells applicants what information they are required to bring to hearings.