Residents urge action as proposed 65-foot Luke Oil LED billboard on Route 17 draws complaints; council drafting billboard rules

A public hearing comment on Monday made clear there is significant local opposition to a proposed 65-foot LED billboard on Route 17, and council members said the borough is working to draft explicit billboard regulations.

David Schneider of Eastern Way told the mayor and council he "can't even imagine what a 65-foot billboard would look like" and said light pollution from LED signs has become unbearable on his block. Schneider asked the borough to use its planning tools to prevent oversized, bright displays on Route 17, citing the borough's master plan and past re-examinations that identified the corridor as needing stronger controls.

A council speaker responding to the comment said the borough currently has no specific billboard rules that allow such signs as of right in any zone and that staff is drafting an ordinance to fill that gap. The speaker advised Schneider that, to the extent he has standing, he could explore an appeal with borough attorneys regarding any specific application. The council speaker also noted the practical difficulty of retroactive enforcement and said the borough is attempting to address billboards proactively.

Schneider also raised the possibility that a landowner threatened to sue the board of adjustment; the council response did not confirm legal risk but suggested the borough attorney would be the appropriate contact. The transcript contains no record of a formal application being approved tonight; the item was raised in public comment and council indicated a policy response (draft ordinance) is underway.

Council members and staff did not set a timetable for the ordinance's completion. Residents and council members asked the borough to consider restrictions used elsewhere (time-of-night limits, restrictions on white backgrounds, and screening where billboards face residential areas), and recommended stronger code enforcement along Route 17.