Digital Billboards May Dazzle Palmer
Palmer Township officials in discussions with vendor for two digital billboards along Route 22.
Photos
Digital billboards may be coming to Palmer Township.
Township officials are engaged in talks with Adams Outdoor Advertising regarding two digital billboards along the Route 22 corridor.
The Board of Supervisors may finalize a deal at one of its upcoming meetings this month.
Palmer reached out to vendors in late October to submit proposals and five came back a month later.
At the last Board of Supervisors meeting of the year on Dec. 10, Township Manager Christopher Christman said he had reviewed the proposals and narrowed it down to two, with Lamar of Allentown being the other prospective candidate.
Christman told supervisors that Adams, with its history and success operating in the Lehigh Valley, was the best option.
"We're sincerely excited and confident," said Lois Arciszewski, Adams vice president of asset management and new development, who attended the meeting. "We won't disappoint. This is all we do. We'll hit the ground running."
She said that it might take at least eight months for the billboards to be erected, especially depending on permit approval from the state Department of Transportation.
Supervisors Chairman Dave Colver said the township is basically leasing land in exchange for getting a stream of revenue.
He also wondered about posting community service announcements, like key township news or initiatives or any public safety or police issues like Amber Alerts.
General Manager Tony Cioffi said Adams works with governments on those public service announcements all the time.
Christman said that Adams donated more than $1.3 million in public service announcements to 130 businesses throughout the Lehigh Valley.
"With your experience in Lehigh Valley, working with PennDOT, etc., to me that's important," Supervisor Bob Lammi said.
Cioffi said billboards can brave the elements, usually lasting seven to 10 years. He said Adams has 22 billboards throughout the Lehigh Valley right now.
One resident, Charlie Altemose, expressed concerns about how the digital billboards might distract motorists along Route 22.
Arciszewski said the billboards are "safety neutral." She stated that there's no statistical evidence that digital billboards cause accidents. Arciszewski said the billboard business is a regulated industry and is not allowed to have full motion video. And no lewd or immoral ads are allowed either.
Township Solicitor Charles Bruno said he would review an agreement before offering it to supervisors for a final vote.
Jilla
8:58 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
Installed directly over a residential neighborhood, this trashy thing can be seen for a mile. Great, thanks a lot. Just what we all really needed- more advertisements and looming right over where we live. Nice move, Palmer. Thanks for asking!
b johnson
10:13 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
Wo-hoo for Palmer and Adams Outdoor!! Oh, sorry folks, about all the light pollution at night in the neighborhood this abomination is shining on.
Guess it's all about the money for Palmer and to hell with those that have to deal with this eyesore all the time! I did not know about this until they lit it up last Friday.
WILFREDO G. SALCEDO, Sr.
8:46 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
There should be better ways to get resources to help with the tax load of the citizens of the township other than unsightly billboards.
3idmom
10:53 am on Saturday, March 16, 2013
It's too bad Palmer Township couldn't directly notify this small neighborhood directly affected by this billboard. How many people read the public notices in the newspapers. They also publish a township newsletter - couldn't they have announced it there? And, no, the majority of people do not attend zoning or supervisor meetings. These people are elected to make common sense decisions for the good of the township, and a desire to do the right thing for the residents/taxpayers of Palmer Township. According to Dave Colver, this sign IS NOT COMING DOWN. The Township Supervisor site states: "Under the Second Class Township Code the Board is charged with the general governance of the township to secure the safety, health and welfare of its citizens." One thing the residents can do is write down every advertiser on this billboard and inundate them with negative feedback. We can also request our property values be reassessed by the county - less revenue always speaks louder than words. The Board meets monthly the first and second Monday of the month and the fourth Tuesday. The meetings begin at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Palmer Library. Will these other 2 signs the article talks about, proposed on township-owned property, impact you? Please come to the next meeting to demand an answer on these locations before they're up and running. Don't feel safe because the ordinance reads that it won't impact your neighborhood - that's why variances were created!