Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
Borough President Molinaro cracks down on latest flurry of illegal billboards
Targets new building in Dongan Hills displaying unlawful advertisements
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – In his continuing effort to rid Staten Island of the blight of illegal billboards, Borough President James P. Molinaro has targeted the owner of three unlawful advertisements covering the exterior of a newly-constructed building in Dongan Hills.
Molinaro has asked the Department of Buildings to issue a violation to the owner of the outdoor ads on display at 2000 Hylan Boulevard near Jefferson Avenue. The building has not yet opened, but the signs have been up for several weeks.
“Let the word get out -- my office is working with the Buildings Department to target all illegal billboards on Staten Island,” said Molinaro. “At a time when we’re working hard to improve Staten Island’s appearance and revitalize neighborhoods, these billboards are a blight on the landscape and make our communities appear unattractive.
“Here we have a building that’s not yet open, but already it’s marring the appearance of the commercial strip,” added Molinaro. “I’ve asked the Buildings Department to issue a summons and remove these billboards immediately.”
A review by the Department of Buildings found that the three signs were installed without the proper permits and do not conform to the approved plan for the building.
“Illegal billboards are environmental pollution, no different than illegal dumping or graffiti,” Molinaro said. “What makes illegal billboards particularly loathsome is that people profit from them, and the owners absorb the fines as just the cost of doing business.
“Staten Island’s appearance has greatly improved since 1990, when the Borough President’s Office initiated a series of clean-up programs,” Molinaro concluded. “To date, we have removed more than 100 illegal billboards, and we will continue to press legal action to rid ‘The Borough of Parks’ of this visual pollution.”
April 27, 2007