Planners Deny Rt. 378 Billboard Application

A site plan for a tall digital billboard that was presented by an Adams Outdoor Advertising representative, the owner of a property at 3667 Rt. 378 in Lower Saucon Township and an attorney for Adams was unanimously voted down by the township’s planning commission Thursday.

Planners said they had concerns about the fall zone for the proposed digital billboard, which would be mounted atop a 70-foot tower in order for it to be visible to passing traffic on I-78, which is located just east of the property.

A stone cape cod home is located on the 1.07 acre property owned by the Roeder family, which is just north of an Exxon gas station and south of the Saucon Square shopping center.

Planning commission solicitor Linc Treadwell said he had counted more then 10 zoning variances “that would probably be required” for approval of the plan.

John Noble, a member of the commission, said the sign would have a visual impact on neighboring properties.

And planner Tom Maxfield criticized the fact that the presenters came to the meeting without any drawings of what the proposed billboard would look like.

“We need to know a lot more than what you’ve presented,” he said.

“You’re going to have to convince us and the zoning hearing board…that this is an appropriate height for the site,” he added. “That is going to be the issue I think.”

Adams attorney Victor Cavacini argued that the township’s own definition of a site plan is less restrictive than what Maxfield described, and that “the jurisdiction…lies with the zoning hearing board.”

“I don’t think it would be a good idea to try and limit what we do,” Maxfield responded.

Commission chairman John Landis agreed that the site plan was lacking in important details, and stated, “I don’t think this is complete enough” before the board voted 4-0 to deny the application based on its deficiencies.

Planning commission members Scott Kennedy, Craig Kologie and John Lychak were absent from the meeting.