Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a sign touting Freehold Township's impressive record of preserving open space. The town has quite a number of commercial and retail centers, and oodles of housing developments, but has still managed to put 37% of the town into some type of open space preservation.
The signs are a cool idea, and one Hillsborough Township - or Somerset County, for that matter - should consider. It's nice to drive around here and see those "preserved farmland" signs, but they are quite small and don't really tell the whole story.
If there is one thing I would change about Freehold's signs it would be the inclusion of the township committee members names. Sorry guys, and gal, even though I went to high school with some of you and got a kick out of seeing your names up there, this achievement can be appreciated on its own for what it is. You don't need to blow your horns too!
Greg, I can't agree with you on this one. My first reaction was "how much did this bit of political advertising cost the taxpyers?".
ReplyDeleteSecond, the open space would look much better without a sign in front of it.
Hughes - I see your point - that's why I specifically decried the inclusion of the committee members names on the sign.
ReplyDeleteTo your other point - I don't believe the removal of this sign would contribute to the aesthetics of the open space. There is a big telephone pole next to the sign, there is a large housing development across the street, and it is right on a county road - these things spoil the "viewshed" much much more than the sign.
They don't have these signs up at every open space location - conceivably only where there is a lot of traffic. That may tie into your complaint about the political aspect of this - but advertising is advertising, peoiple have to see it. For that, I think it is a nice advertisement for the open space accomplishments of that town.