City recruits neighborhood associations for Sign Sweep

(March 9, 2009) - Residents fed up with illegally placed signs in and around their neighborhood are invited to participate in a sign sweep program tailored specifically for neighborhood associations.

“Our neighborhood sign sweep program gives residents the authority to remove signs quickly after they are placed on the street, reducing the sign’s effectiveness and eliminating unsightly clutter,” Planning Director Russell Claus said. “The program trains neighborhood association members how to identify illegally placed signs and empowers them to remove and dispose of them.”

Sign Sweep volunteers must be over 18 years old, an Oklahoma City resident and a member of a participating neighborhood association. Sign Sweep volunteers are required to get training and sign an agreement with the City prior to participation.

Illegally placed signs are a problem in Oklahoma City. Each year, City crews pick up more than 30,000 illegally placed placards from City rights of ways, medians and poles.

Neighborhood association leaders can get more information by calling Melvin Loveless at 297-2982 by April 30.

OKC is so weird on its illegal sign laws. Its illegal to place them on city property, but if an average Joe Citizen removed this "trash" then they face arrest and prosecution.

Anyone remember the public defender who was witnessed picking up illegally placed campaign signs for Judge Gray (if I'm not mistaken) and he was arrested and charged. The city admitted the signs were illegally placed but said this PD had no right to clean up the area. The charges were eventually dropped a couple of days before trial.