A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
Many people move to O’Fallon because of our great schools and our beautifully maintained and safe neighborhoods. City Officials are proud of the work our residents do to keep our City looking beautiful and thank you for your efforts.
A resident recently e-mailed us asking if we could please spread the word that our neighborhoods would be even more beautiful if residents and lawn service companies would blow their grass clippings from the sidewalks and take a minute to pick up any debris that may have accumulated in the street and at the curb line.
Debris, including grass clippings, leaves and trash accumulate at the storm drain grates when heavy rains occur. The end result is clogged drains, which can cause major problems for you and your neighbors.
Another way you can help us keep our City looking beautiful is to understand our policy on the display of temporary signs such as yard sale, baby shower, advertising, real estate or charitable events.
While our desire is to allow residents to advertise their events, we also want our beautiful City and clean neighborhoods to remain uncluttered and picturesque.
These types of signs, when improperly placed, can also create a safety hazard for those driving on our streets, particularly at intersections. For example, several signs appeared at the State Street roundabout, creating a safety hazard for drivers in that area.
Temporary signs can never be placed in public right-of-way, but can be placed on private property. There are several designations for these signs, which dictate where they can be placed. For example, real estate signs can be placed off-site as directional signs between noon on Friday and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Signs for charitable events can also be placed off-site. Both types of signs can only be placed with permission of the property owner. All other signs are allowed only on the property of the event.
Public right-of-way is typically defined as the area that includes the street and sidewalk. Therefore, the area between the sidewalk and the street is public right-of-way. No signs are permitted in this area. If there are no sidewalks in your neighborhood, approximately five to ten feet from the edge of the road pavement is about where your private property line is located.
Before placing any temporary signs, please view the City’s Sign Ordinance, which is located on the City’s web site at www.ofallon.org under Planning & Zoning. The ordinance contains detailed requirements for all signs. If you have questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact Planning & Zoning at 624-4500, extension 4.
Please help us keep our City looking beautiful and our streets and intersections safe. The strong working relationship between City Hall and the residents we serve is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.
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