Illegal Signs Update
By Dave Conway, April 2003
VDOT has taken several positive steps to reduce the problem of illegal signs along the state right-of-way in response to recommendations made by the Fairfax County Sign Task Force. Mr. Quintin Elliott, who is the administrator of VDOT's Asset Management Division, did send a notification to all of their "field forces reminding them to remove illegal signs within the right-of-way and to ensure that employees and contractors remove illegal signs when mowing and picking up litter." Their focus is on the primary and secondary roads because they sustain the most traffic, and are more likely to have illegally posted signs than the residential roads.
VDOT's Adopt-A-Highway policy also has been revised, in part because of suggestions I made to the Commissioner last December, regarding the minimum length of road that a group must adopt as part of this program. Given the urban nature of most roads in our area, VDOT has agreed to drop the two-mile minimum length. A group can now adopt a smaller length of road, or even a single intersection, and remove illegally posted signs from the adopted area along with other litter and debris.
Fairfax County Addresses Problem of Illegal Signs Along Public Streets
By Dave Conway, Mason District Representative, Fairfax County Sign Task Force, April 2001
Civic leaders and county officials have begun to meet and discuss ways to rid our county of unsightly and illegal signs. The Sign Task Force was created in August 2000 to examine current practices and enforcement procedures regarding illegal signs, investigate other jurisdictions' best practice methods in dealing with illegal signs, and recommend, suggest, or seek legislation to amend the county sign ordinance. Our initial focus is on signs illegally attached to traffic signs or utility poles, and stuck in the median strips between sidewalks and the roads.
The Commonwealth of Virginia has a new law that provides stiff, enforceable penalties on anyone who posts illegal signs. The fine is $100 per sign, and the culprit does not have to be caught in the act. Instead, it is assumed that the owners of the businesses being advertised, or the owners of the phone numbers on the signs, are the violators. Although the law allows individuals who may be accused falsely of posting the illegal signs to appeal the charge before a judge, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff.
The task force is working hard to develop a plan for implementation of this new law. We must give these business owners a fair chance to remove these illegal signs before enforcement begins. For future violations, the county must consider whether to issue a warning on an individual basis and encourage violators to remove their own signs, or have the county immediately remove the signs and assess fines. We also must decide who in the county will be responsible for removing the signs, which are evidence, and if needed, testifying in court. Our goal is to provide our recommendations to the Board of Supervisors later this year and begin enforcement before the end of the year.
Remember, it is illegal to place signs in front of your home between the sidewalk and the curb-that property belongs to VDOT. Also, there are limitations on the size, type, and length of time that you can place signs in your front yard. We get assaulted with enough advertising in our lives that don't need to see more advertisements every time we look out our front door at our neighbor's yard!
Don't Call That Number!
By Dave Conway, April 2000
With warmer weather, the flowers are blooming, and so are the illegal signs that junk up utility poles and traffic signs in our neighborhood. Rather than pay to advertise like legitimate businesses, these firms sneak out in the middle of the night armed with hammers, nails, staple guns, and ladders to do their dirtywork.
The most important thing we can do to combat this printed graffiti is to never call the phone number on these signs or visit the businesses that are advertised. For something major, like a large wooden sign chained to a utility pole on the VDOT-owned median strip along Route 50, call 703-383-VDOT and ask them to remove the sign.
Do you think that hand-printed or cheap, photocopied signs are efforts by neighbors trying to drum up a little business with lower prices for you? Think again. These little signs are plastered all over Northern Virginia, not just our area. For the most part, these are regular businesses. What if you call and have work done, but are not satisfied? Or maybe you don't lose 40 pounds in 2, 3, or 4 weeks, but do suffer side effects. Who do you complain to? A utility pole?
Printed Graffiti
By Dave Conway, January 2000
A big problem in our neighborhood is printed graffiti-advertisements-that are illegally stapled and nailed to traffic signs and utility poles. On the weekend of December 18, Kathy and I removed over a 100 illegal signs that flooded our area on Route 50 between Seven Corners and the Beltway. The perpetrators struck many other areas, and we pulled down signs at other intersections that we frequent, but we can only do so much.
We hope that other neighborhoods will get fed up and start cleaning up junk signs on their local streets. Only by taking down the illegal signs as soon as they go up will the perpetrators realize that they are wasting their time and money bothering our neighborhood with their trash.
Update on Illegal Signs
By Dave Conway, November 1999
Efforts to keep illegal signs off the utility poles and traffic signs on Route 50 between the Beltway and Annandale Road continue (November 1999). Everyone is encouraged to remove stapled signs simply by ripping them off and throwing them in the trash. The same goes for signs on wooden sticks on the median strip that typically advertise new home developments. All these signs are illegal, and VDOT appreciates our efforts to keep our neighborhood clean.
I have yet to find a sign with enough nails that will not come off with a few well-placed hammer blows. The best tool for signs attached too high to reach?...an extendable tree pruner! Just hook the top of an illegal sign and yank hard. Works every time!
Something that everyone can do to help: Never call a business that advertises with illegal signs. Legitimate businesses do not advertise this way, so what does that say about the businesses that do? It is important that we do not reward this irresponsible activity in any way.
Removing Illegal Signs
By Dave Conway, September 1999
Lose 40 pounds in two days-affordable health insurance-make big $ working at home-gutter cleaning-hair cutting-sun tanning-yard sales that ended weeks ago. These are all the signs that are illegally stapled and nailed into utility poles and traffic signposts at major intersections and along major roads. Besides being illegal, these signs are eyesores, no different than graffiti. In some cases, they can obscure a driver's view or distract a driver, making driving more difficult and more dangerous.
Unless the perpetrators are caught in the act, there is little anyone can do to the businesses and scams advertised by the signs. The business owners just play stupid, feigning ignorance of who put up the signs and giving assurances that they will discourage any such practices in the future. Yeah, right!
But wait-the situation is not hopeless. VDOT is responsible for removing these illegal signs, although it is a low priority. According to VDOT (383-8368), VDOT welcomes private citizens to rip these signs down and throw them away. It saves VDOT some valuable resources, and it cleans up our neighborhoods a lot quicker.
On Labor Day weekend, my youngest daughter and I took down dozens of signs on Route 50 between the library and the Annandale Road intersection. We also took down signs at the Graham Road/Strathmore and Annandale Road/South Street intersections, and along the west side of Annandale Road. I had to make a second trip with a ladder to get some of the signs. (Did you know that you can fit an 8-foot ladder into a little Mazda Protegé with the trunk closed and the windows up?)
When ripping down these signs, be careful not to get cut by any staples. Also, the plastic signs that are nailed down are tough to pull off, so you might need a knife or a clawed hammer. It only takes a minute or two to pull off of an intersection, rip down a few signs, and throw them into your trunk. I recently did that at the Graham/Annandale Road intersection. It's a great feeling!
Illegal sign posting is on the upswing, and we can do something about it. If we all show an attitude of no tolerance for these junk signs, we can keep our streets clean and send a message that it is a waste of time to post these signs in our neighborhood.
PS: If you are having a yard sale, it is technically illegal to post signs on utility and street name poles, but everybody does it. Just remember to avoid traffic signs, use masking tape to post any signs (nails and staples damage the poles), and take down the signs the day that your sale ends. Also, you should never post them at major intersections like those on Route 50-the signs distract drivers and could lead to an accident.