Large digital billboard could be disruptive to North Jersey neighborhood, letter says

• A Denville neighborhood is opposing plans for a proposed billboard to be discussed at a zoning board meeting next week.
• A letter from the Indian Lake Community Club president highlighted several concerns, including decreased property values, light pollution and the aesthetic impact on the neighborhood.

A Morris County neighborhood is pushing back against plans for a massive digital billboard to be introduced next week, expressing concerns about various impacts on residents' quality of life.

A letter posted Wednesday from Beth Tecchio, president of the Indian Lake Community Club in Denville, informed club members of the advertising sign project at 4 Indian Road to be discussed at the upcoming township zoning board meeting March 19. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Denville municipal building on St. Mary's Place.

Property owners near the site previously received a letter from a law firm representing Outfront Media, the company seeking to construct the sign. The company is represented in the application by the law firm Price Meese Shulman & D'Arminio.

Outfront is looking to install the billboard 90 feet in the air, with a height of 13 feet, 7¾ inches, and a width of 47 feet, 3 inches, the letter said. It would include a 644.8-square-foot, multiple-message sign facing Route 80 east and a 672-square-foot static sign directed toward westbound travelers.

The letter contains numerous variance requests pertaining to Denville's municipal code. The zone permits a maximum billboard height of 30 feet, and an electronic sign area may not exceed 2½ square feet, 10 inches in height and 36 inches in width.

Tecchio's message included a list of potential negative effects for homeowners should the sign be approved, including decreased property values, light and noise pollution, and the aesthetic impact on the neighborhood. She encouraged all nearby residents, including non-members, to attend Wednesday's meeting.

"Your voice matters, and there is strength in numbers," the letter read. "This is your opportunity to express any concerns before a decision is made."

The Indian Lake Community Club is home to roughly 1,200 residences around 86-acre Indian Lake, the organization's website says.

Outfront bills itself on its website as "one of America’s most innovative media companies," with a commitment to using creativity and technology to grow its partner businesses.

"Crystal clear and eye-catching advertisements day or night," the website reads, "our digital billboards command attention for local and national brands."