Submitted by KM Hills.
Are you like me and have noticed more and more temporary signs around the City of Lakewood? I recently talked with a City Staffer who was very helpful as I researched the City’s sign code.
It was explained to me that legislation at the State level removed some authority the City had to regulate and remove temporary sings. This time of year there are a greater number of fallen signs, given the seemingly non stop political season, but there are many other signs that have fallen, and litter our city. These temporary plastic signs, put up by businesses and other organizations, are not as prolific but are just as unsightly when down and create plastic waste just the same.
The staffer is sending a follow-up email with additional details but the sign code seems to allow for the removal of FALLEN temporary signs. None of us should condone or advocate the removal of properly placed signs.
If you have placed a sign please help keep our city looking nice and maintain the sign. Once I get additional details in the follow-up email my plan is to collect and discard fallen signs when I find them while walking my dog.
Re: signs
Yes, agreed. There are quite a few signs knocked down, mostly signs for political candidates. I suspect that this is usually, not always, a malicious way to eliminate the opponents’ signs. If one notices a knocked-down political sign one should call the respective campaign managers to report it. I was told that it is illegal to touch a political sign without permission from the candidate’s campaign. I’m looking forward to more information from you.
I am not a lawyer but RCW 29A.84.040 states “A person who removes or defaces lawfully placed political advertising including yard signs or billboards without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable to the same extent as a misdemeanor that is punishable under RCW 9A.20.021. The defacement or removal of each item constitutes a separate violation.” So I guess, the question then becomes, is the sign “lawfully placed” if under the City sign code states “any sign that is fallen is subject to removal.”
The follow-up email I got from the staffer stated “The City does not have any say or objection as to citizens cleaning up signs from the right of way that are in poor condition or not staked in the ground. This would be the citizens choice and the city would not get involved.”
This country needs to do more to recycle all sorts of products. The amount of items that get trashed is astounding, as opposed to what get recycled.