LED Billboards on Old York Road, Huntingdon Pike?

Ever wonder what Old York Road would look like flanked with a spattering of 14-foot by 48-foot LED billboards?

MC Outdoor LLC did, and it presented its plans to construct billboards on three sites within the township, for a total of six LED displays, to the Abington Board of Commissioners Monday night.

According to Abington Board of Commissioners President Carol DiJoseph, MC Outdoor originally sought five billboards (10 LED displays) within the township late last year, challenging the validity of Abington’s zoning ordinance that prohibits offsite advertising.

Township solicitor Rex Herder said, “[On] Dec. 20, the [Abington] board of commissioners declared those portions of the zoning ordinance which prohibit billboards invalid, and directed the preparation of an amendment to the zoning ordinance. Under the Pennsylvania municipalities’ planning code, that action by the board of commissioners prevents other billboard companies from filing their own challenges and proposing their own billboards in Abington Township for a period of six months.”

Herder said March 22 that a new ordinance would likely be in effect by June, but added that it would not affect the application of MC Outdoor LLC. He said he wouldn’t get into the details of a new ordinance, or how it would differ over the previous ordinance. However, Herder did say that a new ordinance would make it “nearly impossible” to put a billboard in the township.

So while township officials drafts a new ordinance, the board may have to approve MC Outdoor’s request for billboards at three sites.

MC Outdoor founding partner Thaddeus Bartkowski, speaking to the board of commissioners, said he compiled a “menu” of site choices—of which the township could select three. Those sites include monopole, double-sided billboards at: 1844, 1706, 1713 and 1600 Old York Road, and 917 Huntingdon Pike, as well as lower, monument-style LED signs at Giant Market, Willow Grove Park (near the corner of Moreland and Easton roads) and the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center on Huntingdon Pike. All of the proposed signs are in areas zoned Planned Business (PB).

Many commissioners and audience members were heard groaning during a PowerPoint presentation that depicted the proposed sites as well as an  “after” photograph—replete with a rendering of a billboard.

All of the proposed LED signs will be 14-by-48-feet. The size of the billboards is PennDOT-approved. The monopole signs range in height from about 40 feet to 70 feet, depending on topography, and Bratkowski said all of the signs have sensors that change the brightness of the sign depending on the ambient lighting conditions.

While addressing concerns of residents, Bratkowski said the property owners will compile a list of products it deems inappropriate, and added that he “has not and will not” take advertisements from products he calls “adult uses.” He also said that the billboards will not be illuminated past 10 p.m.

Commissioner Jay O’Connor asked if Bratkowski would consider making the signs smaller. Bratkowski said no, adding that the proposed billboards will be 14-by-48-feet—the industry standard.

“You keep mentioning ‘industry standards,’" Jay O’Connor said. “What about ‘Abington standards?’ Don’t tell me you can’t make that (billboard) a little smaller than what you’re showing us.”

Commissioner Michael O’Connor said, “I see this as an attack on our community.”

The board of commissioners took no action yesterday, and did not say when the next meeting on the issue would take place.

An attorney for MC Outdoor, Carl Primavera, said after the meeting that he didn’t have a time line in place as long as “the township maintains an open dialogue [with his client].”

“We’ll wait and see,” he said.

Check back soon for updates.