For whatever Dave is gonna spend on the lawyers he might as well just pave the damn lot and be done with it.
And FWIW, the way I read the story it seemed like the reporter was trying to bait both Barger and the city to turn it into a "retailiation" story instead of what it appears to really be--just a minor property issue.
On the other hand, if Dave thinks he can milk it for PR (free advertising) value, we shouldn't be surprised if it drags out for years. Just get the calls right: W-R-T-A!