Politics & Government

Billboard Debate On Township's Border Persists

Lower Merion Township Solicitor Bill Kerr finished his cross examination of the land planning consultant and witness for the group proposing the signs.

The latest testimony in the ongoing billboard debate in Haverford Township  finished up with Lower Merion Township’s cross examination of the land planning consultant and witness for the group proposing the signs and recapped some of what was discussed at January's Zoning Hearing Board meeting.

Lower Merion Township has joined Haverford Township in fighting the billboards because the signs on Lancaster Avenue in Haverford Township proposed by Bartkowski Investment Group (BIG) would overlook Lower Merion Township. The group is also proposing several signs along West Chester Pike.

Lower Merion Solicitor Bill Kerr finished his cross examination of Larry Waetzman, a land planning consultant and witness for BIG. That group is challenging the validity and constitutionality of Haverford Township zoning code that prohibits signs “that advertise a product or service elsewhere than upon the property on which the sign is located.”

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The Feb 3. hearing, peppered with objections from BIG attorney Marc Kaplin, frequently gave way to groans from the audience of community members gathered in opposition of the signs, about which Kerr asked Waetzman of their visibility from Bryn Mawr.

“I can’t speak to the entire district, but it’s possible for a short distance,” Larry Waetzman said. “The further one gets away, the less conspicuous the signs will be.”

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Waetzman repeated his previous testimony by saying that Bryn Mawr Village has a sense of place but is unsure of whether that same character is represented in adjacent areas.

It was pointed out that there are billboards in Ardmore of about the same height as those currently proposed in Haverford Township, and Waetzman said that Ardmore has a sense of character and place despite the signs. Kerr pressed Waetzman by asking him if the signs there negatively impact Ardmore.

“I don’t think they help,” Waetzman said. “They are existing structures, but they have a negative impact.”

Waetzman confirmed that billboards are difficult to get rid of once they’ve been put up. However, Waetzman also said the sense of character that Bryn Mawr has falls off outside of the confines of Bryn Mawr Village.

“It is not clear to me that either of those signs (proposed at 600 and 658 Lancaster Avenue) would be prominent in the heart of Bryn Mawr Village,” Waetzman said. “I don’t think it will have a negative impact on the surrounding area because they won’t be that visible.”

Haverford Township resident Sandi Donato began her cross examination of Waetzman by questioning his understanding of residents’ concerns by asking if he spoke to any of those residents. He said he had not.

He also said that none of the pictures presented in his testimony had included pictures from the second floors of any homes in the surrounding area.

Donato then said Waetzman had testified that trees would provide screening, and she asked him what kind of tree in the area was most common in the area. He responded by saying deciduous –later adding they’re the kind that lose their leaves – but said he couldn’t specify further.

When Donato asked how long it would take one of those trees to grow to the height of a billboard, Kaplin objected.

“I object to the absolutely ridiculous nature of these questions,” Kaplin said.

The audience responded with laughter and applause when Donato responded: “I want to know. I have to plant one.”

The last of Donato’s questioning confirmed that the township would not have control over the content on the billboards because of First Amendment protections.

After the hearing, third-generation Haverford Township resident Donato said she got involved when she became concerned about the property value of her home and the possible economic impact billboards could have on her community.

“We heard that billboards don’t belong in Ardmore, and they don’t belong in Bryn Mawr,” said Lower Merion Township Ward 10 Commissioner Scott Zelov. “The sites proposed are right next door to Bryn Mawr Village and to Bryn Mawr.”

The next meeting is expected to take place at 8 p.m. March 3 in the Commissioners Meeting Room, 2325 Darby Road in Havertown.


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