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October 14, 2010

Round Barn issue on council agenda

Billboard owner clarifies its role in controversy

Mark Schlachtenhaufen The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — A metro law firm disputes media reports that it is involved in the halted construction of a controversial billboard near Arcadia’s historic Round Barn.

Oklahoma City Mazaheri Law Firm released a statement Tuesday evening in response to the controversy surrounding the billboard, which stands about 25 yards away from the Route 66 landmark.

The billboard is owned by Zoom Media Group, an Oklahoma business which installs and leases billboards in high traffic and high profile locations throughout Oklahoma, according to the statement. The business buys land surrounding the billboards and leases the space on the signs to Oklahoma advertisers.

On Sept. 24, Zoom Media Group bought the land from Expression Church, and informed the church it planned on building a billboard. Zoom Media Group then staked and surveyed the property.

Before buying the land and erecting the billboard, Zoom Media spoke with an employee with the town of Arcadia, according to the statement. The employee purportedly told the company the town has no ordinances regarding building billboards.

Two other phone calls were placed in an effort to corroborate that information, the group said. Both times Zoom Media Group was told Arcadia had no ordinances regarding building billboards, and only the landowner’s permission would be required.

Zoom Media Group maintains it was diligent in checking town zoning ordinances and was sent a fax confirming that the property in question was zoned for commercial use.

On Tuesday, construction began, a process which usually takes one to two days to complete, according to the statement. The construction crew contracted by Zoom Media Group spoke with two individuals associated with the Round Barn concerning use of the excess dirt related to the construction.

In the afternoon, the crew was forced to halt work. The law firm’s statement said local residents surrounded the property owned by Zoom Media Group and would not allow the workers to leave.

Arcadia police, who declined comment at the scene, approved the egress of the crew and crane from the property.

Zoom Media Group reiterated that there are no town ordinances regarding signage, and that the land on which the structure now stands was lawfully bought and zoned commercial property.

“I appreciate the residents of Arcadia and celebrate the beauty of the barn and in no way had the intent of making the erection of a billboard a controversial issue or upset the residents of Arcadia,” the unnamed managing member of Zoom Media Group said via the statement. “This was simply a business decision made with the intent of streaming business to Arcadia residents in a society that values driven exposure.”

The billboard issue is on the agenda for the next Arcadia Town Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Linda Simonton, a trustee of the Arcadia Historical Society and acting secretary, said she has talked to many Arcadia residents who don’t want the billboard where it currently is. They want the town’s heritage preserved, Simonton said.

Simonton also voiced concern about the level of hostility among a few area residents who want to take the law into their own hands and tear it down. That’s not the right approach, she said.

A message seeking comment from Arcadia Mayor Marilyn Murrell left Thursday was not immediately returned. The mayor spoke Wednesday via a statement issued to The Sun, saying the town was compiling facts and information to determine what if anything should be done about the issue.

Simonton said the town needs related sign ordinances. She also hopes citizens will get an opportunity to address the Town Council during Tuesday night’s meeting.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108

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