Ready to join the volunteer “illegal sign police” army?

After the yard sale, who picks up the signs put out in the median or along public right-of-way? In Kansas City, it could be you. The city is recruiting and training an army of volunteers to deal with the perennial problem. Training will be held on Wednesday evening. Photo from Creative Commons courtesy Ecstatic Mark

Kansas City citizens are being asked to fight nuisance signs in their neighborhoods.

For years, residents and neighborhoods of Kansas City have been complaining about illegally-placed signs that clutter up public right-of-ways and medians. They advertise weight loss products, vitamins and tattoo parlors as well as local concerts, political candidates and garage sales long over.

The signs have always been illegal if placed in the public right-of-way or on utility poles.  Earlier this year, the city passed an ordinance going further: signs that are a nuisance can be removed immediately and the person or company named on the sign can be fined from $20 to $1000 per sign. The city even did a sweep of illegal signs last April and collected 4300.

But how will the city enforce the ordinance? That’s where the army of volunteers comes in. The city will hold a training tomorrow, Wednesday,  at 6 p.m. at its Neighborhood Preservation Division, 4900 Swope Parkway. The training will teach people how to know if a sign is illegal and how to remove it or turn it into the city for further enforcement.

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