Judge Denies BIG Request for Summary Judgment in Marple Billboards Case

MEDIA–On Nov. 22, Judge George Pagano of the Court of Common Pleas in Media filed an order denying Bartkowski Investment Group Inc.'s (BIG) motion for a summary judgment and site-specific relief in regards to the ongoing billboards case against Board of Commissioners.

Jim Byrne, the solicitor representing Marple and surrounding townships against BIG, stated his satisfication for Pagano's decision.

"I'm pleased that it was denied," said Byrne over a phone interview with Patch. "As much as I know about this, I think it was a good decision and very pleased with it."

Whether or not BIG will appeal the decision, Byrne said it may be a possibility but the advertising company has stayed another zoning appeal currently pending in Marple Township.

At the , Pagano gave no timetable regarding to a decision on the BIG's ability to place seven new billboards around Marple Township.

, partially siding with the Marple Township Board of Commissioners, until a three-judge-panel at the appellate level remanded the case back down to the Court of Common Pleas with Pagano after ruling that further arguments were needed.

The locations of the seven billboards that BIG proposes in Marple Township include locations on the 2300 block of West Chester Pike, 2500 block of West Chester Pike, 2600 block of West Chester Pike, 2500 block of Summit Avenue and 1900 and two on the 2100 block of Sproul Road.

Marple argues its amended sign ordinance–amended on Jan. 5, 2009–was filed valid to this case denying BIG's proposed seven billboards in the township along West Chester Pike and Sproul Road, while BIG challenged Marple's amended ordinance.

The billboard battle has been two years running, in which BIG filed billboard applications in several neighboring towns of Marple including , Havertown, Springfield and Bryn Mawr townships.