Promoting healthy, vibrant, & beautiful public spaces throughout all of Philadelphia www.scenicphiladelphia.org
AGENDA FOR TODAY ● GIS Map ~ Philadelphia’s billboards ● Legal, Illegal, or Non-conforming billboards ● GIS Map of Billboards Within CDAG’s Boundaries ● Views from the Roadway ● Identifying Scenic Gateways ● CDAG’s Potential Role in Beautifying Gateway Areas
Scenic Philadelphia’s Work Over the past 12 months, Scenic Philadelphia undertook a comprehensive research effort. We: o Identified state and local legislative risks to Philadelphia’s civic assets, including libraries, parks, and public spaces o Developed a citywide risk index & prioritized threats o Conducted qualitative stakeholder interviews to better understand emerging issues and policy concerns o Gathered information on proposed sites for billboards & digital signs o Identified locations of threatened vistas and view corridors o Created maps showing assets, risks, and priorities across the City Today we will share some findings & discuss how we can keep our City beautiful!
Mapping Project Partnered with Dr. Hillier & students at University of Pennsylvania School of Design, who gathered, mapped and analyzed spatial data on: ● All billboards ● Key recreation sites, historic and cultural locations, and public spaces including pedestrian and bike trails, parks, recreation centers, pools, playgrounds, and playgrounds ● Institutions that serve children and families (schools and libraries) ● Interventions aimed at improving access to healthful foods including farmers’ markets and healthy corner stores ● Priority areas ● Risks and threats to scenic views – including billboards and Type 1 crime
Scenic Philadelphia Mapping Study: Priorities
BILLBOARDS ACROSS THE CITY Legend Billboard (1,663) Digital Billboard (36)
Master Plan for the Central Delaware Project Area 149 billboards (8.8%)
Neighborhoods Along the Delaware
Vine Street - 95 to Betsy Ross Bridge 6 miles / 187 billboards (11%) (See Website for Video Link)
BILLBOARDS IN THE AREA View from Race Street Pier
Yards Brewing Company
Penn Treaty Park
Existing Billboard Laws 1965 Federal HBA Regulates billboards adjacent to and within 660 feet of I-95 (effective in PA in 1972). • No Billboards in recreational or residential areas • Limits sign face height to 30 feet • Requires 500 feet distance between billboards • PENNDOT responsible for City’s enforcement and may be penalized with a 10 percent loss of federal transportation funding for City’s failure to enforce
Timeline on Philadelphia Laws 1977: Philadelphia passed Bill No. 438-A amending Chapter 14-1600 of the Philadelphia Code by adding a new section relating to outdoor advertising: • Providing size, height, illumination and spacing requirements , • Established minimum distances from residential properties, and • Established areas in the City in which such signs are prohibited, ie within 660 feet of the outward edge of the right-of-way lines of all bridges over the Schuylkill River . The City also set spacing requirements, maximum sign area and number of structures and sign faces permitted on any one lot, set limitations on illuminated, animated, flashing and revolving signs and height restrictions of 25 feet from the bottom of the sign.
Timeline on Philadelphia Law 1979: Prohibited outdoor advertising signs between 6 th Street and Delaware Avenue from South Street to Washington Avenue. 1985: Philadelphia prohibited outdoor advertising in areas zoned C-2 Commercial. 1988: Philadelphia placed “Special Sign Controls for the area surrounding the Vine Street Parkway and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge Approach” prohibiting outdoor advertising and limiting the size and height of accessory signs.
Timeline on Philadelphia Law 1991: Philadelphia amended the Zoning Code for outdoor advertising signs and Section §9-602, which regulated the business aspects of outdoor advertising. Signs were prohibited within 660 feet from parks, playgrounds, schools, historic areas and within 300 feet from residences. 2006: Settlement Agreement between the City of Philadelphia and Free Speech LLC, CBS Outdoor Inc., Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc., and H.A. Steen Industries addressing violations found by the Penn DOT/Baker Inventory. The Settlement l egalized previously un-permitted and illegal billboards for specific billboard owners, removed requirements for safety inspection of billboard structures and reduced annual license fees from 650 dollars to 50 dollars per sign face.
I-95 Expansion Bill 2010: City Council amended the Sign Control Bill, allowing billboards condemned due to the expansion of I95 to rebuild anywhere that is within 350 feet of their former location and within 200 feet from either side of the expanded highway without going through the usual zoning permitting process. Non-conforming billboards are allowed to be reconstructed “as is” as a matter of right requiring no compliance with the City’s laws on height, distance from residences and parks and schools .
Delaware Avenue & Lehigh
Southbound on I-95
A Look at Digital Technology Digital Billboard Conversions Aesthetic Concerns • Highway Safety Implications • Environmental Consequences • In this 30 second video, taken from Columbus Blvd at 95, each digital sign changes 5 times – an average of every 6 seconds. * Source: U.S. Green Buildings Council Central Balcones Chapter (Texas)
Conversion to Digital 2nd & Fairmount
Height Allowance from 45’ to 65’ 2nd & Fairmount 46’ average 3 story
What Actions Can We Take? ● Call 311 & report signage location. Find out if the signage is legal. Follow up! ● Contact your Councilman ● Join Scenic Philadelphia’s mailing list ● Stay informed on new legislation
THANK YOU! Together we can keep Philadelphia beautiful! 1.215.731.1775 maggie@scenic.org www.scenicphiladelphia.org
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