Temporary signs in both the Village and Town
I basically like the temporary sign ordinances in the Village and in the Town.
It is the lack of enforcement that I have a problem with.
The town revised the October 2006 version in March of 2007 after a dispute over essentially the restriction on free speech. Not that I expect the Town to admit it, but there was a behind the scenes discussion with the local chapter of the NYCLU that created a new version that that would avoid a lawsuit.
The town ordinance is section 185-138.1 which can be found online through the town website http://townofpittsford.org through the town code link on the left side. Use the link http://www.ecode360.com/?custId=PI1657 to get to the Town Code directly and enter 185-138.1 in the block on the left.
Some basic points of the law are:
- must not be in the public right of way
- no more than four signs, total 32 square feet,
- not within 10 feet of pavement
In non-residential zones:
- One sign may be up to 12 square feet, with rest less than eight square feet with a total for the four signs still less than 32 square feet.
The Village ordinance can be found online through the Village website http://www.villageofpittsford.org . In the center with the sentence starting ‘Welcome’ is the link to the Village code -http://www.ecode360.com/?custId=PI1146 . It looks similar in layout to the Town Code since it is the same company that maintains the code pages.
In the Village Code there are two sections 168-6 and 168-12.
Section 168-6, just revised this spring, covers signs permitted in all districts without a permit. Rental or For Sale signs can be no more that four square feet, two sided if desired and must be at least 10 feet from the lot line Only one sign per street frontage is permitted they must be removed 24 hours after the sale or rental.
Another part of 186-6 allows for a single sign of the same size as above during construction but does not specifically require that it be 10 feet from the lot line.
Political signs are covered in 168-12. They too must be ten feet from the lot line and cannot be greater than six square feet in size and no higher than six feet above grade. There is no mention of a limit on the number of signs allowed but they must be removed within seven days of the election.
As best as I can tell, neither the Village or the Town Codes deal with issue signs that don’t have a specific election involved., i.e Something like “Be Green’ or ‘I’m for Single Payer Health Care’. The Town Code has a general introduction that would cover them but I don’t see coverage within the Village Code.
I have both verbally and in writing complained about specific signs to both the Village and the Town. Only written complaints seem to get any attention whatsoever. The Village has been more responsive to a written complaint.
The Town has been downright hostile to getting apparently illegal signs removed despite the fancy words in the 2009 Strategic Plan (see link on the right side of the Town website home page):
OUR GOALS………………..Customer Care & Focus
We will understand and anticipate our customers’ needs and deliver services that exceed their expectations.
And then there is Mr. Carpenter’s instance that the Town does enforce the Sign Ordinance that got caught on video during the Board meeting two summers ago. I’ll hunt for it and if I find it, possibly make it into another Youtube video and or post it here.
Why are both the Town and Village so reluctant to enforce their sign ordinances? You tell me – is laziness, or unwillingness to ruffle anyone’s feathers?
I don’t know. But I do know that in 2007 a candidate of the ‘wrong’ or is it ‘right’ party got notified that their signs were illegally placed within hours of them going up.
Unfortunately this did not hold for everyone’s signs during that campaign.
Rather than fight with the Village or Town over each sign, I’ll be posting here about ones that I feel are illegal.
Let the Town and Village know that the apparently illegal signs are on the web. Maybe we can embarrass the Town and Village to enforce their own laws.
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