Earlier this week, a number of residents who had put up yard signs opposing a proposed gas station at the corner of School Street and West Main Street discovered that their signs had been removed. Some individuals provided security video showing what appeared to be an individual in an unmarked police vehicle taking the signs.
The Independent reached out to multiple town officials on Wednesday but was given little information about the matter, with no one acknowledging that the signs had indeed been taken by a town representative nor that proper protocol had been followed.
However, on Friday, Town Manager Elaine Lazarus released a statement claiming the signs were taken by “zoning enforcement officials.”
“In response to citizen inquiries as to the recent placement of temporary signs within public road rights of way and town property, zoning enforcement officials removed signs in those locations, as time and location permitted, when the signs were observed,” Lazarus stated. “Placing private signs on town property, including public road rights of way, is not permitted, irrespective of a sign’s content. The signs that were recently removed are available for pickup next to the shed behind Town Hall, and residents are welcome to retrieve the signs and place them on their private property. Please note that road rights of way extend beyond the pavement of a street for variable distances, but typically this is 4 to 6 feet back from the road pavement. Those who wish to place signs on their private property should be mindful of this fact and ensure that any such signs are placed more than 6 feet from the pavement of any roadway.”
If the town takes these sign down. I think that they should provide an inventory of all the signs that have been removed over the last 6 months. If this is a general issue, why is this the first time this has ever been recorded.
In addition I would like to see where in the town bye laws does it says signs can be placed in the town right of way. Town property and right of way are different. The town does not have property rights in the right of way.
They even took down a Scout Troops signs for a fundraiser. The pettiness this town government demonstrates is truly incredulous and embarassing!
So a developer wants to place a gas station in an agricultural ZONE which is not allowed, ya know… ZONING-WISE.
Residents put signs out to create awareness but ZONING officials aggressively steel those signs the day before the town scheduled a meeting to discuss the topic.
…Leaving behind countless signs for unnamed politicians and non-ZONING related topics in the same locations just inches from the road where they have been all summer.
Cool.
Just… Just… I Just have a few questions:
– Can anyone give an example of irony?
– Why just these signs?
– Why now?
– Why not move them a few inches so they comply?
– Why not speak to the residents?
– Weren’t these signs our property? Isn’t it illegal to take other people’s property?
– Are other stolen items left behind Town Hall?
– My mailbox is within 4 feet of the road. Does that mean it’s cool for officials to take my mail?
– When will officials be coming to collect the leaves on the front 4-6′ of my yard? I could also use a mow.
Thanks.
I live on West Elm and my sign was taken, as were my neighbors’. But on the corner of my street and Carol Ann Drive and about a foot from the street is a political sign for Kennedy/Shanahan. That was not touched. This has nothing to do with easements and everything to do with someone in town government not liking our neighborhood’s opposition to the gas station. We want to know: Who asked town officials to use this little-enforced easement bylaw to selectively remove our signs? Something stinks here.
I hope the town will offer more explanation and data that shows the action wasn’t targeted or discriminatory, and why it was deemed necessary.
There are contractor, social justice, realtor, political, no spray, security, fund raiser signs EVERYWHERE. The law is very clear that the 1st amendment right was violated for them to remove ours. A town CAN NOT TAKE DOWN SIGNS out of our private yards/private property. Our signs, in our yards, weren’t impeding anything.
Hmmm. “Those who wish to place signs on their private property should …..ensure that any such signs are placed more than 6 feet from the pavement of any roadway”
I didn’t realize that 6′ from any roadway was considered public property!!
I would like confirmation of this from the town manager.
Valid points by all. .Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
(A phrase used to describe corruption or a situation in which something is wrong.)
Seems like we are getting a gas station whether we want one or not!
We citizens of Hopkinton all want to know who is the “zoning official” that requested this? By what authority do they have to selectively remove “no gas station” signs but leave political signs? This makes no sense and the town manger better issue a clear policy on this immediately. It’s obvious that not all signs are created equal.