Multiple proposals would ban new billboards in Worcester
District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson and District 1 City Councilor candidate Keith Linhares both filed petitions to the City Council on the week of June 23 — the same week the city's zoning board of appeals voted against a permit for a proposed 75-foot-tall billboard near Indian Lake.
Linhares's petition asks the city council to create an ordinance banning all new billboards in Worcester.
He stated that billboards cause distractions for drivers on roads and that the lighting from the signs contributes to light pollution.
'I think I want to see our city make decisions that are more aligned with a positive for the environment are our local ecology,' Linhares said. 'The more that we continue to make these decisions that set us on a negative course like that, the worse off we will be.'
Linhares told MassLive that he was inspired to write and submit the petition after hearing opposition from residents during the zoning board of appeals meeting on June 23 about the Indian Lake billboard. Linhares, along with Tony Economou — another candidate running for District 1 — both expressed opposition to the billboard.
Mero-Carlson's petition asks City Manager Eric D. Batista to provide the council with a report on regulations relative to the installation of billboards in the city.
The report would include information about current practices for installing advertisements on existing billboards and information about banning new billboards in the city, Mero-Carlson said.
Like Linhares, Mero-Carlson said the opposition to the proposal for the new billboard near Indian Lake inspired her to submit her petition, and she believes billboards are an environmental and safety concern for city residents. Mero-Carlson, as well as District 2 candidate Robert Bilotta, were against the Indian Lake billboard.
'These types of billboards are destructive to the environment... affecting any type of wildlife,' Mero-Carlson said.
The petitions sent to the city council, however, will have to wait until July 15, when the council holds its next meeting.
Both Mero-Carlson and Linhares said that their petitions do not call for the removal of existing billboards in Worcester.
On June 23, many residents gathered in front of the Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals to voice their opposition to the billboard proposal from Kenjoh Outdoor Advertising.
'We don't need another billboard,' said Worcester resident Diane Fratoni. 'I hope that you don't approve this sign.'
Mark A. Borenstein, who works for the law firm Prince Lobel Tye LLP, represented Kenjoh at the meeting.
He told the board that residents in the Indian Lake area would not see the sign and that the billboard presents an opportunity for public agencies, governmental agencies or non-profits to have visible signage. Borenstein also said the sign could be used for Amber Alerts.
'Certainly if a parent is concerned about a particular issue, it would be very fortunate to have that as an option,' Borenstein said.
Still, the board rejected the permit to erect the billboard. Jordan Berg Powers, the chair of the board, acknowledged the broad opposition to the proposal during the meeting.
'When I talked to people, there wasn't anyone I talked to that felt that this was a good use of the property,' he said.
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