ADULT CABARET BILLBOARD REMOVED; ADVERTISING COMPANY RESPONDS TO PROTESTS FROM ANGRY RESIDENTS OF AGOURA HILLS.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

With controversy simmering over a risque billboard in the middle of the city, the advertising company that put up the 80-foot by 20-foot sign, pitching the Spearmint Rhino Adult Cabaret, sent out a work crew early Wednesday morning to take it down.

``We will reimburse the client and sell the billboard spot to someone else,'' said Scott Christensen, a spokesman for Outdoor Systems Advertising Co. ``We want to be good corporate neighbors, so when there is a problem in a community we do what we can.''

Christensen said his company often does not review the advertisements that go up on the billboards managed by his company. After checking the advertisement earlier this week, however, the company decided to remove the sign that was over the the Kanan Road off-ramp, gateway to the city's residential neighborhoods.

``We thought the ad was a little racier than it probably should be,'' Christensen said.

The ad, featuring two scantily clad women posing in their shimmering bikinis, outraged more than 100 Agoura Hills residents who contacted the city staff and elected officials this week.

Nicole McAdam of Agoura Hills collected more than 85 signatures on a petition to remove the sign before she learned that it was being taken down.

``I'm so relieved,'' said McAdam, who has two children younger than 7. ``You know, this was probably the first time I was mad enough to actually start organizing a petition and do something.''

Mayor Denis Weber said many of the city's residents called the advertising company directly to gain speedy removal of the sign.

John Gray, chairman and chief executive officer of the Spearmint Rhino, said he agreed to have the sign moved to another spot facing the Ventura Freeway.