Ordinances usually start as well intentioned responses to improper use of temporary signage other than real estate signs. The law must treat all content equally; so these policies can affect the real estate industry negatively.
This is a story of a group of Realtors who banded together and challenged a potentially restrictive sign code.
Our village was updating their zoning code for the first time in decades. In the past, political signs where not posted even though there wasn’t a law prohibiting them. This particular year a few candidates challenged the village’s “unwritten law”. Since the trustees were rewriting the zoning code, they proposed requiring a sign permit for ALL temporary signage.
Their thinking was that individual homeowners probably wouldn’t foot the $25 -$35 permit fee to post a campaign sign. But, certainly, Realtors (and home sellers) wouldn’t object to such a small fee considering the thousands of dollars in potential commissions. WRONG!
Our local board decided that a few of the brokers with offices in the village should meet with the mayor and village administrator before the public hearing on the matter. The officials explained that they didn’t consider realty signs a problem, but they had to treat all temporary signage equally. The village trustees would vote on the issue at a public meeting that week.
Over 250 brokers and agents and countless number of their listing customers descended on a public hearing room that seats 40 people at best! The Realtors made their case:
The vote was unanimous. The trustees decided against temporary sign permitting. Certainly, it was the unique ability of Realtors to work together that made the difference.
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