Loudoun County Eliminates Volunteer Sign Collection Program

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to disband a volunteer group charged with collecting signs in the rights-of-way due to concerns over liability and instances of selective enforcement.

In early 2009, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors authorized the establishment of the volunteer sign collection program to remove illegally placed signs within the Commonwealth of Virginia's right-of-ways located in the county.  The Code of Virginia (33.1-373; 33.1-375) prohibits advertising within the limit of any highway, which includes the roadway, shoulders and median strips.  Enforcement is typically handled by local government staff in most jurisdictions.  Since the program’s inception over 52,000 signs have been collected by volunteers and disposed of in the County’s landfill.

Although the volunteer collection group’s purpose was to promote “clean views” in the rights-of-way, DAAR received numerous complaints from members and the public regarding the illegal taking of signs off of private property. As a result, DAAR expressed to public officials that there was inadequate protection of compliant signs, collection of signs unnecessarily hurts businesses and authorizing volunteers to pick up signs in the rights-of-way may contribute to hazardous road situations. 

For more information, read the Leesburg Today article or listen to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisor’s 1/18/2012 discussion on this issue.