MINDEN, Nev. (AP) - Former "Beverly Hillbillies" star Max Baer Jr. has struck out again in his bid to gain approval for an outdoor sign for a major hotel-casino he wants to build in northern Nevada.

Douglas County planning commissioners voted 5-2 Tuesday to deny a variance that would have allowed Baer to exceed the county's maximum allowable height and area for a freestanding sign.

Planning commissioners' previous rejections of two other sign proposals for Baer's Beverly Hillbillies Mansion and Casino just south of Carson City were upheld by county commissioners.

"It's frustrating because the applicant knew what was going to get approved, but asked for more," said planning commissioner Lawrence Howell.

County code allows a maximum sign height of 30 feet and sign area of 115 square feet. Baer had sought approval for a sign height of 90 feet and a sign area of 878 square feet.

"We have tried so hard," said Baer spokesman Don Smit. "We can't continually keep coming back, either."

Baer, 70, an entrepreneur who played dimwitted "Jethro Bodine" in the 1960s "Hillbillies" series, has been struggling for about a year over a sign for the $150 million project along U.S. 395 in the county's extreme northern end.

His latest proposal called for a return to the original oil derrick design, but with two sign faces instead of three.

County officials also rejected a tulip-shaped sign reminiscent of classic Beverly Hillbillies street signs.

County commissioners have approved zoning changes for the resort's first phase, including a 40,000-square-foot casino, a 5-story, 240-room hotel and a movie complex.

---
Information from: Gardnerville Record-Courier,
http://www.recordcourier.com

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-10-17-08 1406EDT