Lmt Billboard Resolution

Exhibit A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE ERECTION OF BILLBOARDS ON LANCASTER AVENUE IN BRYN MAWR WHEREAS, the Bartowski Investment Group has filed an application to erect two billboards on Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, Haverford Township, one at 600 Lancaster Avenue, and one at 658 Lancaster Avenue, where both locations are directly adjacent to Lower Merion Township; and WHEREAS, Lower Merion Township and Haverford Township share more than a common boundary, in that both communities have proud histories of care, concern, preservation and protection of the health, safety and welfare of their respective constituents, while ensuring an enduring quality of life of all citizens; and WHEREAS, the construction drawings filed by The Bartowski Investment Group indicate each billboard will be located above the second story of a building, will have an overall height of 52 feet, will measure 48 feet long by 17 feet tall, and will have an advertising space of 48 feet by 14 feet, equaling 652 square feet; and WHEREAS, the construction drawings filed by The Bartowski Investment Group indicate each billboard will be lighted, however the exact nature of such lighting is not identified, and in particular, it has not been specified if such lighting will include the installation of “LED” billboards, and WHEREAS, presently, there are no such billboards located anywhere along Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, or the adjacent towns of Haverford, Rosemont, and Villanova, and WHEREAS, such billboards are to be positioned at two busy, four-way, signal controlled, intersections where residents of Lower Merion Township live, work, drive, shop, bike and walk, and WHEREAS, Lower Merion Township, through its planning and zoning, including the recently adopted Bryn Mawr Village Zoning, has taken great efforts to preserve and protect the public health, safety and welfare by recognizing, preserving and enhancing the community esthetics, which includes the fostering of the visual environment and streetscapes, while also promoting and complimenting the goals of ensuring viable and safe places to live, work and shop; and WHEREAS, such billboards are in direct conflict with the preservation and protection efforts of Lower Merion Township, and will infringe upon the quality of life and aesthetic values and goals set forth in its planning and zoning; and WHEREAS, such billboards will bring a visual clutter and blight to Lancaster Avenue, which is incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood, degrading and detracting from the esthetic values of the environment; and

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Exhibit A WHEREAS, such billboards distract those who pass by from other tasks, be it driving, walking, biking, observing directional signals or traffic signals, watching for vehicles turning into or moving out of parking spaces, coming in or out of parking lots, noting the presence of trucks and vehicles unloading and loading, all of which are relevant to the two locations along Lancaster Avenue; and WHEREAS, a number of research studies, both in the United States, Great Britain and Australia, have concluded from field studies that there seems to be a strong link between accident rates and the presence of signs/billboards, particularly at junctions or intersections; and WHEREAS, one such study concluded that there is overwhelming evidence that advertisements and signs placed near junctions can function as distractors, and that this constitutes a major threat to road safety. This is because these signs create visual 'clutter' thus making it harder for the driver to perceive traffic lights and other safety signs/devices. (See the Study prepared by Brendon Wallace for the Scottish Government Research Council, August 2003, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2003/08/17782/23546) WHEREAS, the illumination of such billboards will create unnecessary and unwanted light pollution, impair the night sky, and be totally incompatible with the esthetics of the nearby buildings and residences, serving to greatly exacerbate the previously noted harms to the entire surrounding community and traveling public. NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Lower Merion hereby approves and adopts the following Resolution: RESOLVED, That the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Lower Merion strongly opposes the erection of the proposed billboards along Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, That a representative of the Township be authorized to appear at all relevant hearings of the Zoning Hearing Board of Haverford Township to present this position, and offer a copy of this resolution to be entered into the official record of the proceedings regarding this application. Approved by the Board this

day of

, 2009. Board of Commissioners of the Township of Lower Merion ________________________ Bruce D. Reed, President

ATTEST:

_______________________ Eileen R. Trainer, Secretary 2