When your garage sale is done, it’s time to take down the signs you put up!
NORWICH – With the summer season well underway, many residents are looking to get rid of unwanted items and make some extra money, bringing garage sale season into full swing – and leaving a slew of outdated garage sale signs all over the city that many residents call an unsightful nuisance.
Up and down North and South Broad streets, outdated garage sale signs cover utility poles outside of homes and businesses. On the corner of Rexford and Pleasant streets, six signs still advertise for garage sales that occurred weeks ago. According to resident Joanie Spicer, she has made several complaints to city officials regarding outdated garage sale signs in the past, but to no avail.
“I wish the people who have a garage sale signs posted in front of their house would take them down,” Spicer said, noting signs that have been posted for weeks on a utility pole near her home. “A day or two after the sale is over would be fine.”
Like many residents, Spicer said she used to take the signs down herself and return them to the address listed, but it’s gotten to be too much, she said. “If people take the time to put them up, why not take the time to take them down too?” she asked. “We’re getting a lot of people who don’t care about Norwich the way I do.”
While Spicer’s complaints have been heard loud and clear, not much can be done to prevent the problem, said Codes Enforcement Officer Jason Lawrence. That’s because while city codes has sign legislation on the books that covers business signs, construction signs, political signs, temporary community-wide special event signs and portable signs, nothing pertains to garage sale fliers on utility poles, Lawrence explained.
“The city oversees garage sales, but not the garage sale signs,” Lawrence said, noting that utility poles are property of New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and the city can’t permit residents to put signs on poles. “It does get a little cluttered up sometimes,” he said. “When we’re out, we’ll pick that kind of stuff up. The police department does the same thing ... We just ask for the courtesy that if you put them up, you take them down.”
City codes does monitor signage use on residential and commercial properties throughout the city. Everything from the number and square footage of signs, to the lighting and duration each sign is displayed is taken into account. Chapter 465, Article 1 of the city code reads, “the use of signs is regulated according to zone. The placement and physical dimensions of signs are regulated primarily by district and lenth of the street.” Residents in violation of sign ordinances could face as much as a $250 penalty.
“Frankly, we have so many people living here that just don’t care. I wish people wanted to keep Norwich beautiful,” Spicer said. “If you don’t have the decency to take (garage sale) signs down, then evidently there’s nothing that can be done.”
More information about signage within the city can be found on the city’s website, norwichnewyork.net.
Up and down North and South Broad streets, outdated garage sale signs cover utility poles outside of homes and businesses. On the corner of Rexford and Pleasant streets, six signs still advertise for garage sales that occurred weeks ago. According to resident Joanie Spicer, she has made several complaints to city officials regarding outdated garage sale signs in the past, but to no avail.
“I wish the people who have a garage sale signs posted in front of their house would take them down,” Spicer said, noting signs that have been posted for weeks on a utility pole near her home. “A day or two after the sale is over would be fine.”
Like many residents, Spicer said she used to take the signs down herself and return them to the address listed, but it’s gotten to be too much, she said. “If people take the time to put them up, why not take the time to take them down too?” she asked. “We’re getting a lot of people who don’t care about Norwich the way I do.”
While Spicer’s complaints have been heard loud and clear, not much can be done to prevent the problem, said Codes Enforcement Officer Jason Lawrence. That’s because while city codes has sign legislation on the books that covers business signs, construction signs, political signs, temporary community-wide special event signs and portable signs, nothing pertains to garage sale fliers on utility poles, Lawrence explained.
“The city oversees garage sales, but not the garage sale signs,” Lawrence said, noting that utility poles are property of New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and the city can’t permit residents to put signs on poles. “It does get a little cluttered up sometimes,” he said. “When we’re out, we’ll pick that kind of stuff up. The police department does the same thing ... We just ask for the courtesy that if you put them up, you take them down.”
City codes does monitor signage use on residential and commercial properties throughout the city. Everything from the number and square footage of signs, to the lighting and duration each sign is displayed is taken into account. Chapter 465, Article 1 of the city code reads, “the use of signs is regulated according to zone. The placement and physical dimensions of signs are regulated primarily by district and lenth of the street.” Residents in violation of sign ordinances could face as much as a $250 penalty.
“Frankly, we have so many people living here that just don’t care. I wish people wanted to keep Norwich beautiful,” Spicer said. “If you don’t have the decency to take (garage sale) signs down, then evidently there’s nothing that can be done.”
More information about signage within the city can be found on the city’s website, norwichnewyork.net.
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