City & State Codes Prohibit Signage on Right of Ways

10.09.2012

With the 2012 national and local political season building momentum, the City of Norcross Code Enforcement Department (NCED) is underlining the efforts of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) by cautioning political candidates not to place signs on rights of way. In accordance with state and city ordinances, signs of any kind that are found on rights of way will be removed by either GDOT or City code enforcement teams.

 

"We want to make sure that everyone understands the laws that deal with signs," explained Chris McCrary, Norcross' Director of Community Development. "If you want to support a political candidate, it's okay to place a sign on private property. They just can't be placed on the public right of way, and that includes in or around City parks, the downtown area, near City Hall, and along Buford Highway and Holcomb Bridge Road."

 

Georgia Code 32-6-51 states that "it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, place or maintain within the right of way of any public road any sign, signal or other device except as authorized by subsection (d) of this Code section." Any person who violates the advertising restrictions of Georgia Code 32 "shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as provided in Code Section 32-6-91."

 

Right of way is defined as the strip of land over which facilities such as highways, railroads or power lines are built and maintained.

 

In Norcross, city code Sec. 115-186 (5) states "the following types of signs are prohibited everywhere within the city:  Any sign located within a public right-of-way unless it is an official street name sign, traffic sign or signal or other official sign."

 

According to McCrary, signs that have been removed from right of way by NCED personnel will be held "for a reasonable amount of time" before the City then places them in recycling bins.