Be careful where you place temporary signs

Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 12:28 PM

The political season is underway, and signs are popping up like spring flowers everywhere and before we know it, it will be yard and garage sale time.

Many times those signs are also placed in the right-of-way. The Plymouth Zoning Ordinance prohibits signs to be placed in any right-of-way at any time, including signs posted on utility poles or street signs.

Temporary signs, such as political signs, garage and yard sale signs, “for sale” signs, etc. are allowed on any property but they cannot be placed in the public right-of-way and must be at least 10 feet from any neighboring property line.

The number and size of temporary signs can get a little confusing. There is no restriction on content, so a temporary sign could be anything from a business advertisement to a political sign to a sign supporting a student athlete. One temporary sign of up to 6 square feet is allowed at all times with no permit. Additional temporary signs of up to 6 square feet each are allowed for up to 90 days in a calendar year, but the total of all temporary signs is limited to 32 square feet. Most political yard signs are around 3 square feet, so a property owner could have something like 10 political signs up for 45 days around the primary election and again for 45 days around the general election. They could still put up a single yard sale sign (or any other temporary sign) at any time. Any sign larger than 6 square feet requires a permit and cannot be up more than 60 days in a calendar year.

Culver’s Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim also wanted to remind the community of the sign ordinances for Culver.

In Culver, if you are putting signs out for contractors doing work in your home or political candidates, please place them in your yard and not the right-of-way or out lawn (the grass between the sidewalk and the street).

The Culver ordinance states, “Sign regulations are specifically established to protect the public welfare and safety.” As for the safety factor, signs are not to be placed in locations that obstructs the view of traffic.