Sign of the times
Illegal sign agreement approved
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Last week, the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation that allows the county to fine violators for placing illegal signs along roadways. Since January 2004, the county has removed more than 12,000 illegal signs.

The Chesterfield Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) last week that would allow county employees and citizens within a volunteer program to pick up illegal road signs in the public right-of-way and enforce penalties governing those signs.

Several years ago, VDOT allowed county staff to pick up signs, and since January 2004, 12,328 illegal signs have been collected. State law mandates a fine of $100 per sign, but until now, Chesterfield has not had the legal right to levy fines. This agreement allows Chesterfield to recover its costs of enforcement-including court costs and attorney's fees-but the county has to turn over monies above those costs to VDOT.

County resident Dick Page led a campaign to get the agreement approved. Clover Hill Supervisor Art Warren noted that newspaper coverage of the issue reduces the number of illegal signs after an article appears. Over the years, this newspaper has written about a dozen stories on the subject, often prior to November elections when campaign signs litter Chesterfield roads.

During last week's meeting, Assistant County Attorney Tara McGee referred to a letter of apology published in this newspaper by one sign law offender who promised not to place any more illegal signs along county roadways.

Gadfly Georges Beadles complained that some county employees place illegal signs on the roadways. An art event held last month at Rockwood Park was promoted by a roadside sign that "county employees put up," Beadles said.

Exactly how citizen volunteers might aid in the effort to remove illegal signs is unknown. County risk management is studying the liability question, since volunteers could be injured while picking up signs on busy roadways.

Whether or not Chesterfield will begin levying fines immediately has not been determined.

Hanover County is one of two local governments in the state that entered into a similar agreement with VDOT about 18 months ago. To date, Hanover has not fined any businesses or persons for illegal signs, but has sent warning letters to some real estate companies about sign placement.

Hanover Zoning Administrator Bill Johnson said his department uses citizen volunteers to help pick up signs, and residents call his department if certain violators are suspected.

"In those cases, we need to take pictures of those signs," he said.