Court ends legal fight over massive Ridgewood billboard

Outfront Media LLC can no longer challenge the denial of its 40-foot digital billboard in Ridgewood. A Bergen County Superior Court judge dismissed the company's case with prejudice on October 29, effectively ending a legal battle that lasted five years.

Village attorney Bruce E. Whitaker confirmed the outcome in a letter sent to Mayor Paul Vagianos on October 29. The dismissal means the company cannot file the same lawsuit again. The Ridgewood Village Manager's Office shared the news on social media.

The conflict began in April 2021 when Outfront applied to place a double-sided LED billboard at 500 Route 17 South. The design featured two advertising faces, each roughly 10.5 feet tall and nearly 36 feet wide. Neighbors opposed the project, citing traffic safety, visibility issues, and the impact on the historic Zabriskie-Schedler property across the street.

Outfront argued that narrow view technology would limit visibility to only highway drivers and promised landscaping to shield the sign from nearby homes. The Zoning Board of Adjustment held 11 public hearings before voting to deny the application on July 23, 2024. The board found the billboard prohibited by the property's zoning designation and noted it exceeded the area's 30-foot height limit.

Outfront filed suit on January 29, 2025, claiming the board acted arbitrarily and ignored expert testimony. The company sought to overturn the denial and secure a building permit. Court records show the case remained active through 2026, with several conferences postponed. A stipulation of settlement was filed on October 29, and a court conference scheduled for that day was canceled.

The legal process concluded with the dismissal of the complaint. The property at 500 Route 17 South will not feature the proposed 40-foot structure unless a new application is submitted in the future.