Residents Complain About Digital Billboards At Zoning Meeting
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Digital billboards are lighting up concerns among residents in two separate neighborhoods in Philadelphia.
There was no resolve in either case during hearings with the Zoning Board of Adjustments Wednesday, so the hearings will resume at a future date.
The first site is in the Packer Park section of South Philadelphia in the 1900 block of W Moyamensing Avenue near Packard Avenue and the Schuylkill Expressway. The owner of an existing static billboard -- Keystone Outdoor Advertising wants to build a larger, taller digital billboard.
"So it's flashing changing every six seconds and bright at night -- it's going to be a real eye sore," said Christine Lott who lives near the site. "I might not be able to resell my house, my friends won't want to come over you know there's a lot of concerns that we have and I don't want the property values around me to go down either. We love our community."
Others say there are traffic safety concerns, too.
Council for the non-profit Scenic Philadelphia (devoted to preserving and enhancing the visual character of Philadelphia) is representing residents in both Packard Park and in the Northern Liberties neighborhood, where residents there near 5th and Vine are opposing two existing digital billboards.
