7,461 illegally placed signs removed during “Sign Sweep”

(December 4, 2006) – A task force of City employees picked up 7,461 illegally placed signs during the Sign Sweep November 13-17, Sign Sweep project leader Kristy Yager announced.

Another 476 signs were tagged with a removal request sticker and are being investigated by zoning inspectors.

Thirty two-person crews from six departments fanned out across the city all week to confiscate or tag signs illegally placed in the City right of way. They included plastic placards, real estate signs, political signs and handmade garage sales signs that had been left in medians, along curbs, nailed to utility poles and left in other areas long prohibited by City ordinance.

“We want everyone who puts out these signs to understand that the citizens don’t want this clutter and the City isn’t going to tolerate it,” City Manager Jim Couch said. “The culture in Oklahoma City needs to change so this is no longer acceptable.”

City Council amended sign ordinances this year to require City crews to dispose of confiscated signs, rather than simply impounding them so offenders could get them back and again place them in City right of way.

More information on sign ordinances and legal and illegal sign placement can be found on www.okc.gov.