Columbus cracks down on this city law, pushing for $1,000 fines for first offense
City officials and employees roamed Columbus streets Thursday morning to pick up illegally placed signs — and they warned residents that a first offense may come with a steep fine.
Operation Illegal Sign Roundup Campaign began this week as an initiative to remove signs from the city’s right-of-ways. The city is working to find the people responsible for placing these signs, city manager Isaiah Hugley told the Ledger-Enquirer.
The city is asking the court to give violators the maximum $1,000 fine, he said.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse to flood our right-of-ways with these signs,” Hugley said.
Hugley, other city officials, staff and volunteers participated in this first roundup. They followed routes in 12 zones throughout the city where illegal signs are prevalent. The zones were selected based onobservations and reports, the Columbus Consolidated Government’s news release says.
Along with picking up the signs, Hugley also wants residents to help identify the people placing them.
“If you would simply take a picture of the person, of the car or their tag number,” he said, “we will take it from there.”
There is no right way to place signs on city right-of-ways, Hugley said. A public right-of-way refers to streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, utility poles, medians and areas next to the street.
Businesses that want to market must do so on their private property. Individuals who want to advertise their business must go through the city’s Inspections and Code Department to get the approval needed for signs on their property under the city’s sign ordinance.
Illegal signs in Columbus always have been a problem, Hugley said. And the city employs only one person to remove them, he said, but Columbus is too big for that employee to get every illegal sign.
“They’re overwhelmed,” Hugley said. “And that’s why we’re out in force today. One person can’t do this job.”
Along with the quarterly roundup events, the city also is hiring two additional people who can pick up illegal signs on weekends and after hours.
“(We are) trying to catch these persons placing these signs on city right-of-ways,” Hugley said. “We’re looking for you.”
Hugley advises individuals who have placed signs illegally to go to the Columbus Police Department and turn themselves in.
“Let them know you placed your sign on a city right-of-way and that you are there to pick up the sign that you illegally placed,” he said. “And I’m sure CPD will be able to help.”
Hugley urges residents to help with this initiative by reporting people who place illegal signs.
“These are your neighborhoods and the streets that you travel each and every day,” he said. “And we want to keep Columbus clean, keep Columbus beautiful.”
This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 2:53 PM.
