Example email to stop the 64 Lincoln St Billboard.

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Mike D

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Dec 11, 2017, 10:28:36 PM12/11/17

to AllstonBrighton2006

Hi Everyone,

We are requesting your support to stop two different billboards on Lincoln Street. Below is an example of the email you can send for the 64 Lincoln St Billboard.

The billboards are on the same block of Lincoln Street between Portsmouth and South Waverly St. They are located on the northside of I-90 across from the New Balance area. Google Map view of the location is attached.

Their are 3 different emails because the two billboards have different issues. The third email is requesting Mayor Walsh to stop supporting billboards.

The example below is opposing for the 64 Lincoln Street billboard.

Please send all three emails. The hearing is on Tuesday, December 19.

Please request your family, friends, neighbors, work associates, roommates, and tenants to send emails to stop this.

Thanks everyone for their help and support.

Mike

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Background information:

Below are draft comments I have written to share to oppose the proposed billboard permit modification for 64 Lincoln Street in Brighton. The 64 Lincoln Street variance request for a permit modification is entirely different from the 88-94 Lincoln Street variance request. The 88-94 variance requests seeks a variance to erect an electronic billboard at that location FOR THE FIRST TIME. In contrast, 64 Lincoln is an address where a billboard was constructed many years ago and so a billboard for that location was “grandfathered” in BY THE BOSTON ZONING CODE, but not by the state regulations. (It’s not constructed at the moment, but because it WAS at one time, the City had to approve a permit for it. ). The State Outdoor Advertising Board has not yet approved the billboard for that location.

Now, however, the owner of the property at 64 Lincoln Street is trying to pave the way to get around the state regulations which prohibit erection of a billboard within 300 feet of a playground. To try to accomplish that, the owner is seeking a variance from the Board of Appeal to modify its billboard permit to attach a “mesh” to the rear of the billboard. If the variance for the mesh is approved, the owner plans to argue to the state Outdoor Advertising Board that the mesh would obscure the back of the billboard and so it wouldn’t be “within view” of the playground and thus it would not be in violation of state law and the billboard could be constructed. So, it is important to oppose the “mesh” because it is simply a ploy to try to get around the state regulations.

If anyone has any questions about what I have written, they are free to contact me at dal...@comcast.net.

Joanne D’Alcomo

Example email below:

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Sample opposition to be sent to Board of Appeal – subject line should have:

64 Lincoln Street, Brighton – hearing 12/19/2017

I am writing to oppose the granting of a variance to allow a modification to the billboard permit for 64 Lincoln Street, Brighton, scheduled for a hearing before the Board of Appeal on December 19, 2017. I understand that the billboard itself is “grandfathered in” because a permit was originally issued many years ago. But the variance is something different. The owner of the building is seeking the variance for “mesh” to cover parts of the billboard only as an apparent tactic to try to get around the state regulation limiting the location of billboards in relation to playgrounds and parks. The address 64 Lincoln Street is near a playground.

I understand that state regulations ban billboards that are within 300 feet of public parks or playgrounds and are viewable from such parks or playgrounds. I also understand that the Portsmouth Street Playground is within 300 feet of 64 Lincoln Street, and that any billboard on top of that address would be “within view” of the playground and thus banned.

It appears that the owner of the building is attempting to get a variance from the Board of Appeal for the mesh for the purpose of being able to argue to state regulators that the billboard won’t be “within view” of the playground because the structural components will be able to be covered by mesh.

I urge the Board of Appeal not to participate in this effort to defeat the state regulation. The Board of Appeal should reject the variance for use of the mesh. The Board of Appeal should not use its powers to grant variances solely to help a property owner or other person to circumvent a state billboard regulation that is in the public interest. The purpose of the regulation is a quality-of-life issue – an effort to preserve the views and sightlines from public parks and playgrounds. The regulation is for the benefit of the neighborhood and the public at large.

While the permit for a billboard at 64 Lincoln Street, Brighton, may have been grandfathered in under the Boston Zoning Code, nothing requires the Board of Appeal to grant a variance for a modification of that permit. Such a variance would be adverse to the public interest and to the interest of the neighboring community. The Board of Appeal should not sacrifice the interests of the community for the benefit of a single landowner.

NAME:
ADDRESS:

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Please email to:

matthew.f...@boston.gov
jerome...@boston.gov

antonella...@boston.gov

warren....@boston.gov
mark....@boston.gov

Ayanna....@boston.gov

Miche...@boston.gov

A.E.G...@boston.gov

Michael.F...@boston.gov

Full names and position:

Matt Fitzgerald

Boston Zoning Board of Appeals