Worcester zoning board denies Kenjo Outdoor Advertising’s proposed digital billboard near Indian Lake after wide public opposition

Zoning Board of Appeals members on Monday denied a special permit request from Kenjo Outdoor Advertising to install a non‑accessory, freestanding digital billboard at 5 Norton Drive, a site near Interstate 190 and Indian Lake.

The unanimous vote followed a lengthy public hearing that featured a multi‑hour presentation from the applicant and technical experts, and more than two hours of public testimony from residents, neighborhood groups and elected officials opposed to the sign.

The central dispute at the hearing was whether the sign’s impacts — principally light pollution, visual intrusion and driver distraction on I‑190 — would outweigh the applicant’s assertions that the structure complies with the city’s billboard regulations and modern LED‑display standards. The applicant argued the sign met the ordinance’s dimensional and brightness limits; opponents said the cumulative effect on the lake, wildlife and neighborhood character would be substantial.

Mark Borenstein, an attorney representing the applicant, told the board the company had explored other locations but found 5 Norton Drive in the MG‑1 zoning district met the ordinance’s siting rules. "We are not seeking any…