Louisville will soon increase fines for organizations with signs posted along public roadways. The city will start sending warning letters in December, telling organizations to remove signs, including political signs, from public rights of way. Organizations that don’t comply could face fines up to $500.
Safety Concerns
According to Dan Tafel, the mayor of Rolling Fields, signs illegally placed in public rights of way are more than an eyesore – they can create safety hazards. Tafel says the signs can litter the roadways, get caught up in mowers, and cause injury, ultimately costing taxpayers a lot of money to clean up.
Scott Reed sponsored an ordinance to make the city’s existing rules safer. Under the previous ordinance, placing signs in the public right of way was illegal and a criminal violation. However, Reed’s legislation changes this offense to a civil violation, enabling a public works inspector to enforce a penalty on the owner of the sign, rather than the person placing the sign.
Reed says the goal is to protect people by removing dangerous clutter from busy intersections and corridors. Starting in December, sign owners will get an official notice of violation. If signs aren’t removed, owners will be cited.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
