BIG Proposes 3 For 1 Billboard Deal in Newtown

NEWTOWN SQUARE–A large crowd of residents showed up at Monday night's Board of Supervisors meeting for the particular , owner of Bartkowski Investment Group (BIG) and Catalyst Outdoor Advertising.

Bartkowski's alternative proposal includes: trading out the three aerial billboards–measured at approximately 60 feet high–along West Chester Pike/Rt. 3 (at the locations of , Newtown Beer & Soda and ) that are currently before the Zoning Hearing Board for one digital display that is mounted to the ground.

BIG Offers Another Game Plan for Newtown

"There has been a demand for outdoor advertising along the Rt. 3 corridor throughout Delaware County for at least the last 15 years," said Bartkowski.

According to Bartkowski, the township had an ordinance excluding billboards, in which BIG then filed for a validity challenge on April 27, 2009. Since then, there have been seven hearings and a total of roughly 20 hearings expected (Bartkowski noted in Haverford and Springfield townships, there have been approximately 20-22 hearings in total).

Newtown has spent approximately $150,000 so far on litigation fees for the hearings, said Bartkowski, and could accrue up to $400,000-$500,000, based on findings of other neighboring townships' expenditures.

In a similar situation in Westtown township, Bartkowski said they were faced with the same challenges and worked with the township to offer an alternative billboard display, developing into the Gateway Display which is the same model that Bartkowski presented before Newtown on Monday night.

What The Newly Proposed Billboard Entails

"It's the first of its kind in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania," stated Bartkowski.

The billboard is called the Gateway Display, a ground-mounted digital display system made with a stone base and surrounded by landscaping. In addition, the proposed mounted digital display will be approximately 28 feet high with two faces and 7 seconds of the digital advertisement will be displayed, in rotation, with no animation or video features. The digital display will be on from 6 a.m. to midnight every day. During that period, a slot could be seen approximately 1,200 per day.

According to Bartkowski, the Gateway Display on Rt. 202 in Westtown is supposedly the first one on the East Coast, and there are apparently 15 in northern California.

Bartkowski is proposing only one Gateway digital display by Hatches Lane off of Rt. 3 on the western tip of Newtown, just by the border of Edgmont Township.

There are three or four residential homes in the vicinity of the proposed location of the Gateway display in which the residents have been notified, according to Bartkowski, including a resident who lives closest to the location stating he would be okay with the digital display.

BIG's alternate billboard plan proposes purchase of an easement from the township for $400,000 in which $200,000 will be paid up front and $20,000 will be paid on an annual basis for 10 years with no recurring payments.

What The New Billboard Could Mean For Newtown

"There's the ability to communicate public information and in comparison to the billboards, where we're in front of the Zoning Hearing Board and there's an expenditure to the township, in this particular case there could be a financial gain to the township," stated Bartkowski.

According to Bartkowski, the township would be able to use one 7-second slot of the rotational digital display for their own updates such as calendar events, township meetings, etc., as well as a possibility for publicity on a few charity events in the area.

In addition, Bartkowski said that the digital display may be used for Amber Alerts which would take priority on the display for a given amount of time. And a potential of $400,000 could be earned by the township, according to Bartkowski.

"Considering I'm not in the business to lose money, it [revenue] is more than the $400,000 that we're proposing," said Bartkowski.

The supervisors have taken the presenteation under advisement. The previously scheduled billboard hearing before the Zoning Hearing Board was for March 16, which has been postponed again to April 19 at 7 p.m. in the township building.