Cleaning Up the Median

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion aimed at clamping down on the number of campaign signs lining area roadways.

The motion, introduced by Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity says that:

•  The county supports legislation that would remove from the Virginia Code restrictions that apply only to Fairfax County with respect to the removal of political signs from VDOT rights-of-way.
• Direct the County Executive to develop and present to the Board cost- effective options for removal of signs from the right-of-way including leveraging the use existing staff, part-time resources, VDOT and organizations or groups that currently remove signs (such as the Town of Herndon, Reston Association, Fair Lakes League, Burke Center Conservancy and Adopt a Highway groups) and present them for discussion at an upcoming Development Process Committee meeting.
• Direct the County Attorney to draft an agreement between the Board and the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner that would authorize the Board to remove all signs from VDOT rights-of-way for discussion at an upcoming Development Process Committee meeting.
• Investigate and consider a suggestion made by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross to increase the bond posted for signs in the county from $100 to up to $1,000.

"The recently completed election cycle saw 99 candidates run for office in Fairfax County, and with them many thousands of campaign signs joined the bright yellow Junk B Gone and other advertising signs that litter our median strips and roadways," Herrity said in an email to constituents. "It is past time that Fairfax County move to address these illegally placed signs."