State finally fines roadside advertising polluters

[officeguy]

For St Marys, Chapter 65 of the zoning ordinance controls what signs can be placed without a permit. It is quite lenient and there are a number of entities that are allowed to place signs in the public right of way:
- non profits announcing an event (e.g. fire departments)
- new businesses announcing their opening
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And yes, those annoying subdivision signs that sprout up for each weekend are legal. Up to 5 per subdivision, placed after 4pm on friday and removed before 8am monday. They have to remain 5ft from the road and can't obstruct vision. Of course, the developers push the limits on this all the time and place more signs than allowed and closer to the road than allowable.

 

[glhs837]

Ah, thought that was the case. At least here in St Marys.

 

[Kinnakeet]

Once again I say WHO cares if your life revolves around these signs you should go see a shrink

 

[glhs837]

Once again I say WHO cares if your life revolves around these signs you should go see a shrink

I agree, to most folks, they really don't and shouldn't matter. But to the folks charged with ensuring the law is upheld, they should matter. Unless you would like your entire commute to be nothing but a wall to wall signboard, which would be ther result of the laws for this not being enforced.

 

[bilbur]

Once again I say WHO cares if your life revolves around these signs you should go see a shrink

The only reason they matter to me is that the county spent a lot of our tax money making the medians presentable and if there were no laws and restrictions every business would stick signs up, from Lows all the way to Jim Bob's auto repair that is run out of someone's garage. Most of those signs are cheep and not well made so they turn from advertisement to litter after the first rain. Personally, it isn't a huge issue to me, it is more like it would be nice not to stare at junk on my local drives.

 

[officeguy]

The real estate developers have people who do nothing but these signs and know the respective county ordinances. Also, their signs, ugly as they are, tend to be in good shape and do get removed sunday night.

The bigger problems are:
- political signs placed by eager supporters who dont understand sight-lines and don't bother to remove the signs after the election. Local candidates often dont have the organization to have someone go around and police their own signs.
- 'siding repair' 'gutter cleaning' 'will buy all cars' handwritten on poster board and left to rot by the roadside.

 

[CleanTheSlateInSMC]

The real estate developers have people who do nothing but these signs and know the respective county ordinances. Also, their signs, ugly as they are, tend to be in good shape and do get removed sunday night.

The bigger problems are:
- political signs placed by eager supporters who dont understand sight-lines and don't bother to remove the signs after the election. Local candidates often dont have the organization to have someone go around and police their own signs.
- 'siding repair' 'gutter cleaning' 'will buy all cars' handwritten on poster board and left to rot by the roadside.

It is illegal for these signs to be posted in the tax-payer owned right-of-way. State and county laws and ordinances prohibit it.