Political signs on Truro Parish

(This is kind of a rant, but it's one of my pet peeves.) I'm all for people putting up signs on their lawns, bumper stickers on their cars, or whatever they want to do on their own property to show their support for a particular candidate, but what did the person who put the political signs up on the median of Truro Parish think they were accomplishing? Is somebody going to drive by those signs and have a sudden epiphany that THIS is the candidate they should be voting for? Or do they just want to ugly up the neighborhood, which is what I think they've done. Is this person going to take them down after the election? Can somebody else take them down now?

 

I don't think the signs are allowed. I think anyone would be in their right to remove them. No pun intended.

 

This is one month every four years... I'm more bothered by the insane number of builder's signs that never get removed.

 

Based on VA State law:

Va. Code Ann. § 33.1-373 (2005) provides that:
[a]ny person who in any manner (i) paints, prints, places, puts or affixes any advertisement upon or to any rock, stone, tree, fence, stump, pole, mile-board, milestone, danger-sign, guide-sign, guidepost, highway sign, historical marker, building or other object lawfully within the limits of any highway or (ii) erects, paints, prints, places, puts, or affixes any advertisement within the limits of any highway shall be assessed a civil penalty of $100.

An advertisement is defined in Va. Code Ann. § 33.1-351 as
..any writing, printing, picture, painting, display, emblem, drawing, sign, or similar device which is posted or displayed outdoors on real property and is intended to invite or to draw the attention or to solicit the patronage or support of the public to any goods, merchandise, real or personal property, business, services, entertainment, or amusement manufactured, produced, bought, sold, conducted, furnished, or dealt in by any person; the term shall also include any part of an advertisement recognizable as such.

You can "thank" our current Board of Supervisors, who voted to eliminate a 55+ group of volunteers who removed these and other signs. Oh for what it's worth, this volunteer program cost the County absolutely no money.

Bottom line is any sign political or not, is ILLEGAL in the VDOT right of way.

You as a private citizen can remove the sign(s), but keep in mind Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Plowman recently decided to prosecute citizens doing their "civic duty"...

Your best bet is call VDOT: at 703-383-8368 & cite Va. Code Ann. § 33.1-373, which prohibits the placing of advertisements in the state rights-of-way.

 

Oh I don't care for those signs either. However, please understand that directional real estate sign on the weekend placed on the HOA property(not the median) are allowed. They really do help sell houses and someday you will want them to help sell yours. Please don't steal my signs they are expensive and if you do not like the placement just call the number on the sign and I will move it. Thanks!

 

Yes, signs are allowed on PRIVATE property, but must be OUTSIDE the VDOT right of way, require a county permit under 5-1200 and required the permission of the property owner. If they are within the VDOT right of way, they are against the law - period.

According the 5-1200 the Temporary real estate signs must be 4 ft from the end of the right of way and adhere to the following:

4. The following conditions shall apply for permitted "Real Estate-Temporary Open House - Off Site" signs.
a. Signs shall be located only at controlled intersections where there is a change in direction.
b. Signs shall be placed on private property only.
c. Signs shall be in place only during hours the house is open plus one hour before and two hours after the event.
d. Signs may be used for two (2) days on the weekends and three (3) days in the case of a holiday falling on a Monday, as well as one-half (1/2) day during the
week.
e. The owner for the house or his/her designated agent must be present for the duration of the open house hours.
f. Signs shall include a company name with direction arrow.
g. Signs shall consist of a metal frame with composition sign of a semi-permanent type.
h. Homeowners or their designated agent may not use "Non-PD District Project Directional Signs - Off-Site".

FYI - the VDOT roight of way on Truro is 60 ft from the center which equates to about 15 ft from the curb

 

Any signs ithin the VDOT right of way can be removed as they violate multiple section of VA code and present a road hazard to drivers and pedestrians.

Feel free to clean up this litter