Illegal Signs Get the Boot

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has authorized the town of Westport to remove illegal signs from state roads.

Illegal signs are "off-site advertising signs," which businesses put up on property that doesn't belong to them, according to Planning and Zoning Director Laurence Bradley. All off-site advertising is prohibited, Bradley said. Only political signs and signs for non-profit events are permitted within road rights-of-way, Bradley said.

In October, First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff — at the request of the Planning and Zoning Commission — sought permission from the state to remove illegal signage from state roads in Westport.

The commission, working with Joseloff, initiated a program to remove illegal signs from town roads in November 2008.  However, until now the town had no authorization to remove such signage from state roads. 

"The ability to have the Planning and Zoning Department staff address signage on state roads will lead to improvements in both driver safety and reduction of visual clutter in Westport," Bradley said in a news release.

In a letter to Joseloff, Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph F. Marie said: "signs, located within the state's rights-of-way, should be considered illegal and subject to removal and disposal.  Therefore, the Department has no objection to the removal of illegal signs from the state's rights-of-way provided that the owners of the signs have the opportunity to recover their property."

Owners of signs confiscated by the town are able to retrieve the signs for 30 days, after which time they are destroyed.

In another sign-related development, Bradley said the commission, in an effort to help  Westport's business community deal with the difficult economy, has continued its suspension of enforcement on free-standing portable signs displayed in front Westport businesses until Jan. 31.

Copies of the full text of the Zoning Enforcement Ordinance, the Zoning Enforcement Policy, and the sign regulations are available from the Planning & Zoning Department's section of the town Web site at www.westportct.gov.