County explores new ways to remove signs
Now that the Community Labor Force is going to stop collecting signs along roads and in medians, Fairfax County is exploring other solutions.
The Community Labor Force consists of inmates at the Adult Detention Center. The Sheriff’s Office informed the Board of Supervisors that the CLF won’t be able to participate in the sign removal program as of Sept. 12 due to staff shortages.
The CLF has been carrying out sign removal since 2013 when the board approved a partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, VDOT, and the Department of Code Compliance to remove illegal signs from 100 roadways.
At the Board of Supervisors’ July 19 meeting, the board approved a board matter put forth by Chair Jeffrey McKay and Vice Chair Penny Gross (Mason) to direct the county executive to find another way to remove signs.
“The signs are not only unsightly, but can present a hazard to drivers and pedestrians,” McKay said.
As an alternative to the CFL, McKay suggested using the Operation Stream Shield program run by the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.
Operation Stream Shield partners with nonprofits to hire people experiencing homelessness to clean up litter and remove invasive species on county-owned and Park Authority property.
The program recruits people staying at the Bailey’s Crossroads Shelter and other shelters. The workers are paid with revenue from the stormwater tax.
Another option would be to use county employees and county-owned vehicles to remove and dispose of signs.
Related story: Fairfax county pays homeless crews to clean up streams
“The county needs to move quickly on this so there isn’t a gap, even for one day,” McKay said. “As soon as the CLF stops this program, there will be a proliferation of signs again.” It’s especially important to resolve this issue before candidates start lining the roadways with election signs.
Other work done by the CFL – such as collecting trash at bus stops, removing graffiti, cleaning stormwater ponds, and light landscaping – could also be affected by the staffing shortage.
The CFL offers many benefits, according to the Sheriff’s Office: It saves the county money, keeps the community nice, and teaches inmates skills they can use when they’re released.
Not a perfect solution, but how about fining the people who put them up, in those cases where that can be ascertained?
Real estate signs are easy. Election signs less so, but it’d be a start
As I understand it the county can fine them, but it costs too much to actually follow up. This needs exploring and re-evaluating!
Also, sometimes people abide by the sign rules but then those cutting grass or other citizens move the signs to non-authorized locations.
This way, the inmates and “people experiencing homelessness” will know where the nice neighborhoods are.
My neighborhood is tucked away and we have virtually zero property crime because no one would stumble upon it.
I had a piano delivered a couple years ago, and made the mistake of hiring a small business from the thumbtack app.
Got the highest rated, cheapest company. The guys did a good job, but my son said it looked like they were casing the neighborhood.
Over the next week, two neighbors had their cars broken into and property stolen. It was clearly related to the piano guys, who were from Maryland with a bunch of tattoos. No way to prove it, of course.
My advice is to push back against any efforts from our ingenious Mr. McKay to have people from outside the area with questionable backgrounds wandering around neighborhoods. It defies common sense and is asking for trouble. If you like being around seedy characters, move to MD or DC. Don’t pay them to come here.
Most signs I see are in medians on major roadways & in commercial areas, not residential ones. HOAs should be policing residential communities for excess signs in neighborhoods. Would love to see recycling/reuse of metal posts too. I like the idea of posting where signs need to be removed and paying private citizens for collecting and turning them in:
Agreed – McKay never had an original idea worth 2 cents…
How about see one take it away. Costs nothing to do this. Could be a monthly project for Boy and Girl Scouts or anyone looking to do community service.
I like that. Take it from felons and give it to the scouts. No-brainer which is the better investment.
Pay a bounty on each sign that a registered civic group brings t the Gov’t. Center or District office and you have a reward based system for cleanup. Also teh metal can be recycled or re-used. There is a method but we all have to look for them.
How about a campaign to make everyone aware of the rules on signs? A lot of people don’t know that they can’t put signs everywhere.
Increase the fine to a level that is an actual deterrent ($100/sign)— require an upfront deposit before issuing a sign permit. Example, you want to post 100 signs- you deposit $10k upfront for the cleanup. And YES offer a bounty based on the number of signs collected AND get a bonus if able to verify business address and tax ID of person posting the signs.