The Butler Zoning Hearing Board on Tuesday approved six variances requested by Harmony Outdoor to erect a billboard on Route 8.

The variances would allow a billboard to be built in a C-2 central business district, exceeding the height and square footage restrictions in the city zoning ordinance, building a lighted sign within 300 feet of a dwelling in a residential zone, and having a 300-foot lateral buffer zone from any residence.

The billboard would be built at 11 Pittsburgh Road, across the street from Butler Tires for Less on a steep hillside in a narrow lot in a C-2 district by Harmony Outdoor, a subsidiary of Eagle Media Corp., which also owns the Butler Eagle.

There is a sales agreement for the property between Pittsburgh Road Property LLC, the owner, and Harmony Outdoor.

City Council will consider final approval.

“We are pleased with the cooperation we received from the Butler City Zoning Hearing Board this morning to move our billboard project to the next steps, and we are looking forward to being able to offer our customers a digital billboard in this prime location very soon,” said Keith Graham, vice president of advertising for the Butler Eagle and Harmony Outdoor.

The billboard would have a digital display on one side and a static, lighted display on the other side.

The city zoning ordinance does not allow billboards in C-2 districts and allows them only in M-1 light industrial and M-2 heavy industrial districts.

Freestanding signs in C-2 districts can be no larger than 75 square feet on each side or 150 square feet on both sides combined, according to the ordinance.

The proposed billboard would be 288 square feet on each side and 576 square feet combined.

Freestanding signs in C-2 districts can’t exceed 20 feet in height. The proposed sign is 25 feet in height.

Lighted signs can’t face or partially face any dwelling in a residential district less than 300 feet from the sign, according to the ordinance. The proposed location is 180 feet from a residence on the east side of the property.

The ordinance requires a 300-foot lateral buffer zone between the billboard and any existing residence. The proposed sign is 180 feet from a residence.