The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has called for a public input session on the extension of volunteer sign collection program on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, SE, first floor, Leesburg, VA.
All potential Home Sellers and Home Buyers are encouraged to attend and voice your concerns regarding the sign collection program.
To secure speaking position during the public input session, you are permitted to sign-up in advance by calling the Deputy Clerk to the LCBOS at 703-771-5072 or 703-777-0200. You also have the option of signing up at the public input session. Citizens get 2-3 minutes to speak.
On February 17th 2009, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (LCBOS) authorized the establishment of a volunteer sign collection program for three months to remove illegally placed signs within the Commonwealth of Virginia’s right-of-ways located in the County.
The Code of Virginia (33.1-373; 33.1-375) prohibits advertising within the limit of any highway, which includes the roadway, shoulders and median strips. Penalties for placing illegal signs can include removal of advertisement, fines and paying for the cost of removal.
The County also regulates all signs on private property including real estate and directional signs that require a special permit. Since the program was implemented, volunteers and staff have collected during May and June, 2009 over 8,200 signs!! Many of those signs belonged to real estate agents advertising Open Houses and are expensive to purchase and replace.
While Loudoun County’s effort to provide clean views is commendable, real estate industry does not support the extension of the program. Here are the reasons:
- Collection of signs unnecessarily hurts businesses during an unprecedented time of economic hardship.
- Minimal shoulders or turn lanes in certain areas of the County create sign-placement challenges;
- Authorizing volunteers to pick up signs in the rights-of-way may contribute to hazardous road situations;
- Signs placed correctly outside of the VDOT rights-of-way have been collected and disposed by the volunteers; There is inadequate protection of compliant signs;
- There is no established collection center where businesses have the opportunity to pick up their signs instead of contributing to the County’s landfill and damaging the environment.
The sign collection program should be a concern for home sellers and home buyers because it means that Realtors will not be able to place directional signs for Open Houses making it much harder for home buyers to attend those Open Houses.
Characteristically, the signs for political campaigns are exempt from the collection program.
Extension of the County’s volunteer sign collection program will be considered during the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (LCBOS) regular business meeting.
All public, especially potential Home Sellers and Home Buyers, are encouraged to attend and voice opposition to the program. If unable to attend, e-mail may be sent to the members of the LCBOS:
Scott K. York, Chairman (At Large)
Susan Klimlek Buckley, Vice Chairman
Jim Burton, Blue Ridge District
Lori Waters, Broad Run District
Sally R. Kurtz, Catoctin District
Stevens Miller, Dulles District
Eugene Delgaudio, Sterling District
Kelly Burk, Leesburg
Andrea McGimsey, Countryside
To read more about the Volunteer Sign Collection Program in Loudoun County
SOURCE: Dulles Area Association of REALTORS
