County Targets Sign Pollution

Mike the house buyer April 26, 2012 at 12:27 pm

Politicians are always exempt from laws

Mike the house buyer April 26, 2012 at 12:29 pm

The US Congress is still exempt from Insider Trading Laws!!

Ashley April 26, 2012 at 12:51 pm

It's nice to know that this is the type of crime they're concerned about. Seriously, signs? I get that they're annoying, but I'd like to see them focus on the bigger problems.

Tim April 26, 2012 at 01:08 pm

Anyone else find it amusing that they just a couple months ago passed a LAW preventing this?
The heck? Everything you need to know about what's wrong with Congress - right here. Not the freshman - they're naive, not yet broken in.

Alisa Bralove-Scherr April 26, 2012 at 01:10 pm

This is an issue my family has championed over the years and the county has generally ignored. They're more than just an eyesore -- many of the signs in my neighborhood involve scams (foreclosure assistance, we buy houses, get paid cash daily, etc.) and target the most vulnerable among us. There are also a hazard because they fall into the roadway. I've reported these signs on many occasions and rarely have they been removed. I can only hope the county is serious about finally tackling the issue.

K Blue April 26, 2012 at 01:25 pm

I think this is a great idea. This is a simple quality of life issue for residents that Code Enforcement can handle alongside their other duties since they are supposed to be cross-trained. Repeat offenders beware.

Mike the house buyer April 26, 2012 at 01:26 pm

Alisa, "we buy houses" are investors looking to purchase houses to usually to fix up and sell and don't target the most vulnerable. The sellers who can't sell the traditional way mostly go this route with success.

Kris April 26, 2012 at 01:53 pm

Not anymore. New legistaion prohibits it (thanks to 60 minutes).

Mike Pierce April 26, 2012 at 01:57 pm

Sorry, another fumble fingers. It's 410 887-3351

Mike Pierce April 26, 2012 at 02:04 pm

No, Mike. "We Buy Houses" are generally people who will steal the equity of someone who is in financial trouble and has gotten behind in their mortgages. Everyone knows that, if you want to legitimately buy house, you don't have to advertise by the roadside. They are trying to hide behind the anonymity of a sign with a phone number that won't be answered with a company name. Just "leave our number and we'll call you back. Same with the Credit fixers. Try Googling "We Buy Houses" and "scam".

Phil April 26, 2012 at 02:05 pm

Suggest tha the County Exec. take a trip out here in Reisterstown along Franklin Blvd and Red Run Blvd where real estate sales offices post their signs every weekend - when county is not active!
Actually using some fines against these violators would result in fast removal. How about some activity like that Mr. Kamenetz?

Buck Harmon April 26, 2012 at 02:32 pm

She~ He with the most, signs wins the election....an insult to the mentality of voters...
Fuggly signs at that... Kind of goes inline with telling the same lies many times over until the are perceived as truth..

Buck Harmon April 26, 2012 at 02:36 pm

Could this be the same code enforcement division that allows plastic shack housing to be erected about the county ?

Jeanne April 26, 2012 at 03:51 pm

I can ignore the signs, I am more concerned about the people on corners that are asking for money and walk in front of traffic possibly causing an accident. I thought that was taken care. If anybody knows anything please let me know. If we see a sign that isn't a legit company can't we just take them up and throw them out?

DougW April 26, 2012 at 03:57 pm

It would be nice to see a summary of the law. For example, I think real estate signs stuck up on the weekends ARE legal. But what about businesses that put their specials on signs out front, or even down the street? There's one in Hunt Valley that even has a "reward for imformation leading to the arrest of anyone removing this sign". It's at the intersection of McCormick Rd and Wight ave.

Phil April 26, 2012 at 04:02 pm

The county law does allow citizens to remove signs that are posted illegally on county right of ways. In most cases that is the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street. Most of them are cardboard or plastic and you can just place them out with your recycle pickup materials.

Terry April 26, 2012 at 05:46 pm

What about all the illegal Quirk signs all over District 1 when he was running for councilman? People didn't know who he was. One apt. complex had so many on their property, that it took a couple people to pull them out of the ground and put them in a dumpster. Jim Smith should have spent that money a little more wisely.

Mike Pierce April 26, 2012 at 06:53 pm

Every county around us prohibits such roadside solicitation. Baltmore County, in its infinite wisdom, in 2010 passed a law that begins by saying "persons standing on lane dividers of County roads or roadways for the purpose of soliciting donations creates a safety and traffic hazzard" and then went on to describe how the County issues permits to organizations who want to do it. They need to totally ban the practice.

Mike Pierce April 26, 2012 at 07:02 pm

No, real estate signs are not legal. No off-premises sign is legal (except specific billboards with a permit). The state law passed last year requires the enforcement to not be based on content - they cannot allow real estate signs and forbid others. No, a business cannot put their specials on signs out front, except for a specific permit for 60 days per year for a "special event sign", Businesses are allowed a certain number of free-standing signs (usually 1) and wall signs (all with permits) and all others are illegal, for a reason.
While we're at it, electronic signs cannot change more than once every 15 seconds, and can never scroll or display motion. Code Enforcement has refused for 6 months to enforce this law. Flashing "Open" signs in the window are illegal. Please call Code Enforcement if you see any of these.

TOPNOTCH April 26, 2012 at 08:17 pm

I've been taking down illegally placed signs in Harco for years... I've taken down hundreds, if not THOUSANDS, of them. Harco has a citizen volunteer program now to 'legally' do it of which I participate. Since the new fines went into effect, the amount of them in Bel Air is significantly down.

Patrice April 27, 2012 at 03:07 am

AMEN to that brother but gov't never punishes it's own.

moe green April 27, 2012 at 10:20 pm

Take the illegal signs, the illegal aliens, Sam Moxley and Vince guardian and send them all to mexico

Chuck April 28, 2012 at 04:17 am

Are "Community" & "Improvement" Association meeting notice signs and Sports Leagues sign-up notices exempt?
I see a few of them spread around my neck of the woods.

Terry April 29, 2012 at 02:42 pm

I'll vote for that! Don't forget Quirk (district 1 ), he's packing his bag of dirty tricks while I type.

Buzz Beeler May 1, 2012 at 07:07 pm

Let us not forget this classic, that is until it's picked up and hauled away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D59ZWa8ehgI

Buck Harmon May 1, 2012 at 07:17 pm

Funny....sad...true...thanks Buzz..

DARRELL HAMMERBACKER May 3, 2012 at 11:17 am

Suck in those 500 dollar fines for Kamenetz and all the other fines his Code Enforcement division are giving out. Kamenetz the Peoples Choice

Kevin July 25, 2012 at 05:36 pm

THANK YOU ASHLEY!! THERE IS A MAN NAMED MICHAEL PIERCE THAT IS UNEMPLOYED AND DRIVES AROUND IN HIS OLD HOOPTY MOBILE, CALLING IN SIGNS ALL DAY!! HE IS A LAUGHING STOCK TO EVERYONE!! JUST GOOGLE THE BALTO. SUN MADE A SPOOF ABOUT IT IN THEIR ARTICLE!! MAYBE HE SHOULD DRIVE INTO THE INNER CITY WORK WITH THE HOMELESS, VOLUNTEER AT THE NICU'S, ETC- with our city of Baltimore being notorious for murders aND DRUGS AND THIS joker is patrolling about paper signs???? LMFAO!!

Buzz Beeler July 25, 2012 at 07:07 pm

Darrell, that depends on who puts up the sign, at least in Dundalk.

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