Law says sign in Hilltown Ridge must come down

Levittown - The sign outside the Hilltown Ridge development off Township Line and Chalfont roads in the township looks anything but temporary. Written with gold-tinted letters, the decorative plaque is mounted on a sturdy stone wall, surrounded by artful landscaping.But according to Hilltown zoning, that sign must come down once the houses are up and the developer fulfills its obligations in the neighborhood.Residents of the development, however, would like to see the sign remain. Mark Paulits of Berry Brow Drive told supervisors Monday night that he spoke with a number of his neighbors on the issue."None are in favor of getting rid of the sign," he said, adding that the design made it clear the sign was meant to last. He also pointed to agreements with the developer that required the homeowner who lives on the lot that contains the sign to take care of the structure."Clearly, that item was permanent," Paulits said.Hilltown supervisors are considering whether to change the zoning law to allow it and other development signs."There are a lot of benefits to doing something like this," said Supervisor Rich Manfredi.But to fellow supervisor Jack McIlhinney, the zoning ordinance is fine the way it is."Some people may consider it a status symbol," he said of development signs. But, "I am not sure it does anything to beautify the township."He also criticized the way such signs divide a township, pointing to areas in Lower Bucks County where every three or four streets are marked by a development sign."I think it does more to segment a community than to bring it together," McIlhinney said. "It's still a manmade sign there for the purpose of advertising."He added that landscaping and stone walls do not mean a sign is permanent. Nor would an agreement between the developer and homeowner. The township's zoning law trumps such details.Even if the sign is taken down, McIlhinney said, the wall and landscaping could remain to mark the entrance of the development.Manfredi wondered if some of McIlhinney's concerns could be alleviated if developers were required to include the words "of Hilltown" on any permanent sign. He also said supervisors would have to consider the size and aesthetics of permanent signs if they decided to amend the zoning ordinance.Hilltown resident Brooke Rush cautioned supervisors about going down a "slippery slope" with signs."I believe we're all residents of Hilltown Township," Rush said. "I worry about these little pieces of it being separate."Theresa Hegel can be reached at 215-538-6381 or thegel@phillyBurbs.com.

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