This local city is cracking down on campaign signs that break the rules. Here’s how
The city of Gig Harbor is starting to regularly sweep temporary signs that violate their regulations, including the campaign signs posted throughout the city during election season.
“Our regulations govern the allowable sign area, the number of temporary signs allowed and the maximum duration a temporary sign may be displayed,” Carl de Simas, Principal Planner for the city of Gig Harbor told the Gateway Thursday.
A “temporary sign” means “any sign or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, paper, cardboard or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a limited time only and not permanently attached to a building or site,” according to the city’s sign code.
Gig Harbor has specific zones where such signs are allowed — something surrounding cities don’t do. A list of the 21 intersections in Gig Harbor city limits where signs are allowed can be found on the city’s website.
What are the regulations for signs in Gig Harbor?
For temporary signs in the public right-of-way within city limits, they must have a free city permit (renewed every 30 days), placed within 100 feet of an approved intersection. The signs have to be less than 3-feet high and 4-feet wide, deemed a non traffic hazard (meaning they’re not in roundabouts, medians, shoulders, travel lanes, and are not attached to road signs, etc.). They also require permission from the abutting property owner, according to the city’s website.
For temporary signs on private property within city limits, no permit is required. They need to be under 6-feet high and permission from the property owner is required. Also, there is a limit on how many temporary signs can be on a private property. The city’s rule is no more than four per lot and only one temporary sign per tenant, according to the city’s website.
The city’s sign zones do not apply to private property.
Signs outside Gig Harbor city limits are regulated by Pierce County.
The regulations are an attempt to keep the city tidy and safe, de Simas said. Except for the sign zones, Gig Harbor’s regulations are similar to surrounding cities.
“We have so many small and large businesses that without regulation there could just be signs all over the road,” Adam Blodgett, Code Compliance Officer for the city of Gig Harbor told the Gateway Thursday.
“If people are placing signs in medians and roundabouts, they’re distracting drivers or blocking clear sight around corners, which can be a hazard for citizens,” de Simas said.
What are the penalties for illegal signs in Gig Harbor?
To enforce these regulations Blodgett conducts sign sweeps every two weeks. He and a small team go out and inspect signs throughout the city. Typically it’s a city associate or senior planner who helps Blodgett.
Up until this year, the city was not able to preform routine sign sweeps due to Blodgett’s position being temporary.
During election season they are averaging approximately 60 signs that are gathered per sweep, Blodgett said.
They don’t know how many of the signs they pick up are campaign signs, as opposed to other advertisements. They don’t keep track of what types of signs they’re sweeping, just whether they’re following the rules.
“Now that we have Adam on full time, sign sweeps are done more regularly,” de Simas said.
“All we’re checking for is that the valid permit is attached to the individual sign and whether or not the sign is in the appropriate location,” Blodgett said.
If for whatever reason the sign is in violation of regulations, they’ll pull it and take it back to the City Center where owners can pick them up and replace them properly.
If no one claims the signs within 30 days, the city disposes of them, Blodgett said.
“We’re not trying to make anybody pay stiff penalties or fees, it’s more of an educational process,” Blodgett said.
They do not track repeat offenders, Blodgett said.
There are a few locations deemed as frequent violation hot spots, including roundabouts.
“Roundabouts seem like a great spot because everyone has to go around them and you can get all your advertising all in one go,” Blodgett said. “But it is a safety and traffic issue. Our citizens call us pretty regularly about signs in our roundabouts or medians that we’ll go pick up immediately.”
Other frequent violation locations include the intersections of Point Fosdick and Olympic drives and the Borgen Boulevard and Peacock Hill Avenue roundabout.
They see a lot of signs there because they’re heavily trafficked locations. Borgen Boulevard is the biggest offender, de Simas said.
“They’re not all illegal just because they’re there,” de Simas said. “They’re oftentimes not placed in the proper locations because they’re in medians, roundabouts, or outside 100 feet of the approved intersection area zone.”
