Digital Billboard Battle Begins

The battle over the new digital billboard along Route 22 has begun.

Palmer Township officials—after fielding residents' complaints and concerns for several meetings—fired off a notice to the developer who put up the billboard last month that he is in violation of township codes.

Residents appeared for a third straight meeting to express disgust over the billboard, which they say is too bright and is ruining their quality of life. One resident also proclaimed that it was illegal.

Palmer Township officials updated residents on where the billboard stands at last week's Board of Supervisors meeting, stating that it must play a waiting game with the developer.

"We would hope that you wouldn't think that we specifically targeted your neighborhood," supervisors chairman Dave Colver told residents who hailed from Hay Terrace. "We sympathize. But we have to follow procedures. We're not embracing what he did."

Instead, Palmer officials put the developer on notice—through a notice of enforcement—that he is in violation for changing his application/site plan, not going through the testing process for illumination and for not obtaining a certificate of occupancy, solicitor Charles Bruno said.

Township Manager Christopher Christman said the notice was sent out March 15 and that the landowner then appealed it, meaning that a hearing must be scheduled.

"We raised points and tried to address concerns," Christman said. "But since our notice has been appealed, it triggers a series of events. The billboard will stay on until the process runs through the zoning hearing board."

Colver said township officials are trying to help the residents.

"The township is working diligently," he said, "to hold the developer to task."