Mayor Travels to Revere to Pitch Digital Billboard Plan

By Josh Resnek

Twice in recent weeks, the mayor has appeared before the Revere City Council to discuss his plan for a digital billboard on the site of his donut establishment on Squire Road.

The sight of the Everett mayor representing himself before the Revere City Council inside the council chamber has created a bit of a stir in political circles in the beach city.

The mayor’s appearance in Revere at city hall to apparently rally councilors for their support for a business proposal yet to come is altogether unique, given the riskiness of appearing without an attorney at city hall to discuss the details.

According to officials in the Revere Building Department, the mayor has not yet filed any paperwork for a digital billboard.

“We have nothing on file yet on the matter,” said a Building Department of official on Monday morning.

Discussions with Revere officials reveal that the city is dead set against the erection of more billboards.

In fact, on March 26, the city council approved the amending of Title 15 and Title 17 of the revised ordinances of the city of Revere.These revised ordinances restrict and are construed to avoid the proliferation of signs: and to minimize the effect of such signs on nearby public and private property.

The mayor’s donut establishment is located in a general business area, where electronic signs – digital billboards are not allowed under the new ordinance.

Also, according to officials at city hall, the mayor’s donut establishment has a residence as an abutter which serves as an automatic disqualifier under present zoning, let alone the new ordinances governing bill boards, and especially electronic bill boards.

There has been some talk that the mayor is trying to rezone the entire property to accommodate a billboard but this too would require a special permit from the City Council.

“He needs to file a site plan with the Building Department. In all likelihood the effort will fail at this point because the zoning is wrong. The site plan of cials will send a letter of rejection to him and then the issue becomes one of seeking a variance,” said a Building Department official.

A petitioner needs 8 votes to secure a variance and or a special permit.

The mayor didn’t answer a request for a statement about the digital billboard he is seeking in Revere.