The Daily News reports that Clear Channel Outdoor has sued three members of the Salisbury, Massachusetts Zoning Board of Appeals claiming civil rights violations when the Zoning Board of Appeals granted to Northvision, a local business, the right to erect a billboard on I-95 in preference to Clear Channel Outdoor’s proposal.  The Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously for the Northvision proposal and was deadlocked 2-2 over the Clear Channel proposal.  Clear Channel Outdoor alleges:

• That the board members did not follow due process when considering the benefits of Clear Channel’s proposal versus a proposal from a local billboard company.
• That the board members voted for the Northvision billboard proposal for reasons other than the proper criteria for a zoning decision.
• That the two board members who objected to Clear Channel Outdoor’s proposal should have recused themselves because one member of the Zoning Board of appeals works for a company owned by the owner of Northvision and another is a cousin of the landlord of the Northvision billboard site.

You can learn more about the case by reading this July 9, 2015 proceeding before the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Office of Outdoor Advertising.

Insider’s take:  The conflict of issue in this case is disturbing.  The two Zoning Board of Appeals members should have disclosed their conflict of interest and recused themselves.  Insider hopes Clear Channel Outdoor prevails.

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