With the November election just six weeks away, campaign signs are beginning to pop up in neighborhood yards and business frontage areas. Candidate signage is as much a part of the traditional election season as door-to-door visits, political literature and stump speeches.
However, each campaign season produces citizen complaints regarding the improper placement of political candidate and issue signs. The City’s Code Enforcement Division is already witnessing instances of illegal placement and fielding citizen complaints. Signs are beginning to show up in City greenway areas and railroad property areas. Stickers and signs are also showing up on traffic control devices and traffic signs.
City code enforcement officials remind the public it is unlawful to place signs in public rights-of-way or medians, including the boulevard areas of homes, public rights-of-way along streets and railroad areas, City parks and areas that can block the sight of traffic.
Examples of prohibited signage in the public rights-of-way areas include political, real estate, roofing and siding company signage, banquet and church signage. Such signage is permitted on the property owner’s yard excluding the boulevard right-of-way. City ordinance 17.50.080 prohibits signs in public rights-of-way, and any signs placed in the right-of-way are subject to immediate removal. The public is also advised to not place candidate or issue stickers and signs on traffic control devices and signs.
Temporary political signs are allowed so long as they are not located within the public right of way, do not block a required sight triangle or impede traffic, or block or occupy a required parking stall or parking area. Temporary political signs are limited to 32 total square feet and a maximum height of eight feet.
The area in front of a property from and including the sidewalk to the curb is public right-of-way. Signs are not allowed in this area. Signs can be placed in a yard, or in front of a building.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation also reminds the public that political campaign and ballot-issue signs cannot be placed on state highway rights of way. The use of right of way is reserved for official highway signage. The State DOT indicates all signs in the right of way not required for traffic control are prohibited and will be removed by SDDOT crews and DOT staff will attempt to contact the owner of the signs to pick them up.
