Should Digital Billboards Be Allowed In Mahwah?
There is currently no law regarding them; board discusses whether or not there should be
Should LED-lit billboards line Route 17 in Mahwah?
The township’s planning board pondered that question Monday night as part of its reworking of Mahwah’s Master Plan. The document, which lays out the town’s goals and objectives, makes suggestions for future development.
According to Board Attorney Peter Scandariato, the recommendations made in the Master Plan have no legal weight, unless the town council takes the suggestions put forth in the document and crafts new laws that are in line with them. After Monday’s meeting, the board decided to include in the new Master Plan a clause urging the council to create a new sign ordinance that is sensitive to light pollution on billboards and other similar signs.
The discussion came up after board member Ward Donigian said he felt strongly about limiting the possibility of electronically-lit or digital billboards popping up throughout the township. “We don’t have an ordinance that addresses this, so companies looking to put these up will look for towns that don’t disallow it, and we will become the guinea pig,” he said. “I think we should be proactive on this instead of reactive, unless we want to turn Route 17 into Las Vegas.”
Mayor Bill Laforet cautioned that including this condition in the Master Plan “might be restricting technology in the future. This document is going to be around a long time, and I don’t know that we can mandate technology.” He also pointed out that many signs in the township already use LED and other lighting technologies.
Other board members said they did not wish to see the restriction of all lit signs, just LED billboards, similar to those found on the NJ Turnpike and other major roadways.
If the town council did decide to pass a law on this, board members said it would be a part of the township’s sign ordinance, which came under scrutiny last year during election season. At the time, members of the town council said the current law was vague, and needed to be refined, though no official changes have been made to it since then.
James Norberto
7:48 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Hate to sound like a broken record... But when I moved out of The Bronx, one thing that stuck with me was the cool factor of having the Ramapo Mountains as my backdrop - much prettier than a concrete jungle.
I don't want to see Mahwah/Rt. 17 become another Jersey Turnpike, AC Expressway, Rt. 46, etc. I want to keep our awesome mountain vieunfasten is and not have constant exposure to yet another Pa/Ct casino.
I know better than most that if the LED billboards are approved, billboard companies will JUMP at the chance to saturate Rt. 17 with the signs. Trust me... Ever see Northbound on a Friday afternoon/evening?!?! Perfect chance for them to sell to all kinds of marketers.
I'm not against new technology (I have worked many years in high tech and entertainment marketing) but am against anything that takes advantage of my beloved adopted hometown... And this will. Trust me...
Dianne Satriano
4:24 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
I agree James with how you feel, coming up Rte 17 everything opens up and the mountains are in full view. Do we really want to become another Paramus? I can't stand driving into that town due to traffic. But on the other hand if you look at the mall in a positive way which we should also do, there will be jobs created and I wont have to drive to Paramus to shop. Just saying.
Dianne Mitchell-Satriano
Mike Zdanis
8:09 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
No. Except for Ramapo College, which is now prevalent, this Town character is Rustic , "and the last of the frontiers", and should remain that way.
James Norberto
11:48 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Well said Mike, well said.
hsr
2:19 pm on Friday, March 30, 2012
Is this another one of this Mayor's business prospects? He doesn't get it. This is a
community to live in and raise children in a suburban atmosphere. We made a big
mistake last election!
JL
2:39 pm on Friday, March 30, 2012
If Mahwah is going to turn into another Paramus....I'm out of here....I'll cast my vote in November first, though.
Andy Schmidt
4:47 pm on Saturday, March 31, 2012
I understand that the devil lies in the detail. There are already electronic displays on, such as the time/temperature at some banks, or the gas prices at some fuel stations.
It is entire feasible that some businesses will replace their static "logo" signage with a competely electronic version of the same size, that has some "static" component and some "dynamically changing one". I can see how the planning board will have to walk a fine line between what should be permitted and what is undesirable.
And then there are actual "billboards" - that are not the signage for a business at that location, but really just advertising space for rent. THOSE, I'm completely against. They are ugly, no matter if they use any kind of technology or not.
hsr
1:50 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
You can't pick and choose. If one place is allowed, all are legal. Can't discriminate.
Let's just light up!! Just kidding..
ref
5:22 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
I wonder why our mayor is pro electronically lighted or digital billboards maybe because his is such a beautiful addition to Franklin Turnpike
Andy Schmidt
8:00 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Yes, the Sunoco station is always nicely kept. You can see who is proud of his business and cares about the town.