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Hernando Today

Sign Pickup Under Review

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: September 30, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - At the corner of Barclay Road and The Oaks, about a dozen candidate signs of varying heights pepper the landscape in the wooded parcel across from the subdivision.
A little farther south, there is another cluster of signs at the entrance to Silverthorn, easily read by any motorists having to exit the upscale community.
All these signs are legal because they are placed on private property.
But when county code enforcement agents find them on public rights of way, they confiscate them and dispose of them at the landfill.
That could all change soon.
At the insistence of county commissioners, interim Code Enforcement Director Mark Caskie said he is reviewing a proposal that would allow the candidates to reclaim their confiscated signs, saving space at the landfill.
County Commissioner Chris Kingsley broached a two-pronged plan that would allow the county to recycle the plastic signs instead of clogging up the landfill. It would also allow for candidates to buy back their signs at a still-to-be-determined cost, thus bringing money into county coffers.
Kingsley said the idea would also apply to Realtor and business signs that are improperly placed.
Kingsley's idea has found backing on the board.
County Commissioner Jeff Stabins believes the sign buy-back would prove particularly attractive to candidates.
Stabins said he has invested thousands of dollars in political signs. All of which, he stressed, are legally placed on private property.
Commissioner David Russell said he doesn't believe there are that many illegally placed signs out there. But every little bit helps, he said.
"There is a cost involved in picking those things up and policing the rights of way," he said. "Certainly there should be some compensation involved."
Meanwhile, Caskie said his department has confiscated 15 illegally placed candidate signs from county rights of way during the month of September.
"That's abnormally low," Caskie said. "I attribute that to the candidates paying much better attention to the rules this year."
By comparison, code enforcement picked up 285 illegal signs in September 2006 and 45 in September 2004.
To date so far this year, 391 signs have been confiscated.
Caskie said the loss of the sign often is the financial punishment for candidates who don't toe the line on signs.
However, the county does have the option of slapping on additional fines. The fine for a first offense is $100. Subsequent violations can go as high as $5,000, although that hefty a fine is rare.
While there is no limit on the number of signs placed on private property, county ordinance requires they can't be larger than six square feet.
Caskie will report back to the board about the proposal at an upcoming commission meeting.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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