The big showdown between two sign companies Tuesday before the Picayune Planning Commission didn’t come to pass—but that doesn’t mean the issue has been resolved.

Tuesday’s commission meeting was intended to resolve a dispute between the Blanning Company and the Busby and Segal company, both of which would like to erect a digital billboard within a close proximity on Memorial Boulevard. 

According to a new city ordinance, digital billboards—electronic billboard signs—cannot be within a one-mile halo of each other. 

According to legal documents drafted by William Cruse, an attorney representing Blanning, his client requested a permit for a Memorial Boulevard address two days after Busby’s request on Aug. 28. Busby’s request for a permit was denied, but Cruse writes that his client still couldn’t get a permit because there was an appeal of the denial. 

“The reasoning offered was that if Busby and Stegall, LLC won their appeal, they would have a halo that would cause Blanning Company, LLC’s permit to fail,” Cruse writes. 

In his written argument, Cruse points out that no appeal to Busby’s denied claim has ever been filed.

“Instead of an appeal, a new application was submitted,” Cruse writes. “This time an application for conditional use.”

And that application for conditional use came after Blanning’s request. 

The city council was poised to grant the conditional use in October, until Cruse objected that such a motion would violate his client’s one-mile halo. 

The commission was tasked to revisit the conditional use request by Busby Tuesday, but at the top of the meeting, Planning and Zoning Director Diane Miller informed the board that Leonard Busby was withdrawing his request for a conditional use.

Cruse spoke to the commission Tuesday opposing any conditional use variances. 

But, Cruse said, that does not necessarily end the fight because Busby requested to withdraw his request to amend it further. 

To date, Cruse’s clients still have not been issued a permit for the property. But, neither has Busby. 

“We’ve got to look at our options whether we want to appeal or pursue other business opportunities,” Cruse said. 

An appeal process could take the matter into the courts. Cruse pointed out his clients have been in business in Picayune for over a decade, and don’t want the rules changed through variances.

“The Blanning Sign Company has been in business since 2005, and simply want a fair flaying field to do business,” Cruse said after the meeting. 

Also Tuesday, the planning commission approved a conditional use for David Watts who is seeking to open a vet clinic at 201 Kirkwood St.

The board denied a request for conditional use to Scott Yadon of Lamar Advertising to erect a digital sign at 1009 Memorial Blvd as it violated the one-mile halo of an existing sign.