Subscribe free to our daily email newsletterIs This Sign Illegal?
Oct 6, 2010 15:57 - 4 Comments
The sign ordinance in Rockville was adopted to strictly limit the “visual blight caused by the unregulated proliferation of signs”. This is why businesses pay people to carry signs along Rockville Pike, often in costume. I saw a giant dollar bill today!
Last month Capital One renamed all the Chevy Chase Banks. As a 21-year customer of Chevy Chase, the change has required an adjustment for me. When the branch on Hungerford Drive put up their new signage, this sign appeared right next to the roadway.
I’ve been wondering if this sign is legal under the Rockville City Code.
Section 19.5-11S forbids:
Signs erected by any person on any public property or right-of-way except for signs erected by or at the direction of the City
This sign is so close to the road, it must be in the right-of-way. If all the businesses along Hungerford put up signs at driveway entrances, our City would certainly experience visual clutter. Signs also pose a hazard because they block drivers’ views.
So, is this sign illegal? Should it be removed?
4 Comments
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“As a 21-year customer of Chevy Chase, the change has required an adjustment for me”
Me too! There “information packet” that was sent out-all 21 pages of it-was a COMPLETE waste of time! It was a ridiculous amount of reading, and all written so ambiguously that the only message I got was “your not a Chevy Chase customer anymore and don’t be surprised if we change any terms on you-surprise!”
Needless to say, I am not very happy with this badly botched transition.
I’m currenlty in the market for a good credit union. Big banks don’t deserve to have my deposits anyway.
I am sad that we lost our staid local bank. Replaced by the kind of institution that sent our economy into shambles. Ugh!
Good eye, Cindy! The sign is in the right-of-way. Our zoning inspector (side note: she already knew about and was working on this), tells me that an out-of-town sign contractor incorrectly placed the sign. A notice of violation has been issued, and I expect the sign will be relocated within the next couple of weeks. The zoning inspector assures me that she will continue to follow up with the bank until this has been corrected.
Thanks for keeping an eye out in Rockville! We really do appreciate it.
Marylou Berg
Communication Manager
City of Rockville
I wonder about signs that block the sidewalk. A sign may warn “Steel Plates Ahead” and cause an additional obstacle by forcing pedestrians to step off of the curb to get around it.
And while these signs are temporary, and may or may not block the entire sidewalk, they can cause a bottleneck. We need to keep pedestrians in mind and the fact that cyclist use the sidewalk on our busy thoroughfares, which is apparently legal in Montgomery County. Another questionable example is the BP gas station on the southbound side of the Pike just south of Shady Grove road. They post their gas prices out on the sidewalk.
When we drove past today, the sign was removed. Thanks to the City Staff for handling the situation in such a timely manner.