Temporary Signs Not Allowed In City Rights-Of-Way

If you've driven around Dalton for very long, you've probably seen small temporary signs placed near the road to advertise a yard sale, a 5K race, or a political candidate. But did you know that those signs are often placed illegally? Temporary signs such as wire "yard signs" are not allowed to be placed on city rights-of-way in Dalton. The City of Dalton's sign ordinance has always required that signs be placed on private property and not on City rights-of-way. The ordinance further allows City workers to remove signs if they are placed on a right-of-way. 

The right-of-way is typically the area of land closest to the street, such as the grass strip between the road and a sidewalk. However, every property is different and the right-of-way area varies. A good rule of thumb is to look where power poles are located. Power poles are placed on rights-of-way and the area between the line of power poles and the road is always off limits for signage. In addition to potentially being an eye sore, temporary signage can also post potential safety hazards if they block the view of drivers or pedestrians of traffic. Signs must be placed on private property only. There are also areas of the City such as the Gateway Corridor Overlay District in the West Walnut Avenue area where temporary signage is completely prohibited, whether placed on private property or not. 

The City's sign ordinance can be viewed by clicking here. It is found in Appendix B of the Code of Ordinances. Section 8.4 concerning enforcement of the sign ordinance states that "in the interest of safety, any official or employee of the city shall have the authority to remove and dispose of any sign placed within the public right-of-way without notice to the owner."