Spring and summer is a busy time for garage sales, open houses, and yard signs are a great way to share these messages. We encourage residents to follow these basic rules to ensure their signs are placed in the proper area.
- Signs must be placed on private property, not within the right-of-way. The right-of-way is the area between the sidewalk and the curb.
- Signs placed on a corner lot cannot block the vision triangle of the street
Public Right-of-Way
The property between the street and sidewalk is called the public right-of-way and is technically City property. This area may contain water, sewer, gas, and other utilities below the surface, so it is important to maintain easy access to these utilities and to keep it clear of visual clutter that can distract drivers or hinder those using sidewalks. Property owners are still required to maintain that land, and it is important to keep it free of signs and other encumbrances.
Illegal Sign Removal
As time allows, City staff will remove signs from the public right-of-way if observed or if they are reported. Signs are removed without regard to content. City staff will not remove signs from private property. When a sign is placed in the vision triangle, staff will contact the resident and grant a reasonable amount of time to move the sign to an appropriate location.
For more information on the city ordinance, visit www.cityofjohnston.com/citycode and search for code 170.26. For questions about sign location, call the Johnston Building Department at 515-727-7778.