New Digital Billboard Infuriates Palmer Residents

It's bright and blinding, ugly and interfering.

It's disrupting and disturbing, dangerous and damaging.

It's a public nuisance and visual pollution.

And it's now up along Route 22 in Palmer Township, with the above description reflecting the dismay of a group of residents who live along Hay Terrace.

Residents came out in force Monday night to protest to the Board of Supervisors a new digital billboard that they say is ruining their quality of life, killing their property values, illuminating their homes and causing sleepless nights.

After signing off to entertain offers from vendors to put up digital billboards along two spots in Palmer Township, officials got an earful from residents who say their eyes are telling them this big, bright and bold billboard is going to drive them bonkers.

"Shining light like this is a form of torture," said Jim Duffy, one of 10 Hay Terrace residents who spoke out against what they describe as a public nuisance.

"It's like sitting outside and watching a great big football screen," said Brenda Febbo about the sign in her back yard. "I feel like I'm going to a Drive-In movie."

Supervisors Chairman Dave Colver tried to ease the crowd, telling them that the billboard's activation Friday caught him off guard and that Monday was the first day he was able to address the issue since township offices are closed on weekends.

Colver stated that the township held numerous public hearings and multiple meetings on digital billboards and stated that their regulations for spots on Routes 22 and 33 were modeled and regulated by the state Department of Transportation.

He said the billboards are being tested and have not received a certificate of occupancy yet from the township.

"They're legal to be there," he said. "I can't answer about the lighting cause they are being tested. The lighting is the biggest culprit."

Many residents said the light from the billboard shines into their homes and is even interfering with their television reception.

Duffy cited studies on how the billboards are a highway safety issue, causing disruptions that lead to accidents.

He mentioned a Wisconsin study that suggested a 35 percent increase in accidents due to digital billboards and a $30,000 decrease in property values, according to another study.

Duffy suggested that the billboards be shut off at 9 p.m.

While Colver said that the permit does not mandate time limits, he believed the township could control the light spillover into residential homes.

"I guess 99.9 percent of this is light and night," he said.

Colver said the township would look into the complaints.