Residents speak out against new billboard location behind Kmart
Plans are moving forward to move the New Point Outdoor’s electronic billboard to a new location in West Homewood. The new location has attracted opposition this week for similar reasons to its original spot at Lakeshore Drive and Green Springs Highway.
Ward 2 Place 1 Representative Fred Hawkins said New Point has applied for a permit with the city to relocate the billboard behind the Kmart on Green Springs Highway. Hawkins said that the new location is at least 600 feet from the nearest homes and billboards and within 75 feet of the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) right of way.
On Tuesday, Raleigh Avenue resident Andy Conaway started an online petition against the new location, “Stop Digital Billboard from Going Up In West Homewood." Conaway and other residents are concerned about the large board being obtrusive and hurting property values.
Several people who signed the petition said they do not want the billboard located anywhere in Homewood.
“If it’ll lower real estate prices for neighborhoods off Lakeshore, why is it not a concern about the real estate prices for neighborhoods off Oxmoor?” Conaway said.
Conaway suggested that instead the billboard remain at the current Lakeshore BP location.
“Most of those houses are directly on Lakeshore, which is one of the busiest streets leading into one of the busiest intersections in the metro area,” he said. “Did the people who purchased those houses not expect to have issues like these arise? What sense does it make to stick next to a more densely populated area? Is that fair?”
On the other hand, Scott Dean, a resident who started the Citizens Against New Point Outdoor's Electronic Billboard Facebook page, said he and a city council member drove each individually drove through the area where the sign will be relocated recently and came to the same conclusion.
"Neither of us believe it will be able to be seen from any home owners' residences," Dean said. "I even got out of my car and tried to walk through some of the area as well where I thought there could be an issue, but I just didn't see one."