We’ve reached peak color in Natick this fall. The yellows and oranges, the reds and browns. The blacks and blues, the purples and greens. Yes, lawn signs are everywhere, both on private property and on public land, where they shouldn’t be.
You know the hot spots, along the stretch of Rte. 135 near the dog park, in South Natick at the intersection of Union/Pleasant/Eliot, and even on school grounds. The offenders are many, from political campaigns to private schools to realtors to companies that yes, sell yard signs. Extreme signage displays have been seen in town of late, such as those urging people to slow the @!(#% down, but hey, do what you will on your own property.
Section 6 Signs in Public Ways or on Public Property
No person shall place any unauthorized or non-conforming sign within the right-of-way of any street or on public property. The Building Commissioner is authorized to take down and remove such an unauthorized or non-conforming sign. Such sign shall be retained by the Building Commissioner for a period of thirty days after its removal. The owner of such sign may reclaim it within thirty days of its removal by submitting satisfactory proof of ownership to the Building Commissioner. If such sign is not claimed within such thirty day period, the Building Commissioner may cause such sign to be destroyed without incurring any liability to the Town or any of its Agents.
The issue even came up during the South Natick dam discussion at the Oct. 3 Select Board meeting (about 1 hour and 24 minutes) when a Save Natick Dam proponent said that some of their signs had been removed. That led to a brief discussion about when the town will take down signs put up on public land. We’ve heard Select Board pleas to the public in the past to at least remember to remove such yard signs after events being promoted have taken place.
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