A local group recently got in trouble for posting missing-dog signs on telephone poles and mailboxes.
Robin McCaffry said she was disappointed to take down posters searching for Sydney, a Mexican rescue dog that ran away from home in April. The posters were placed all over St. Albert, annoying at least one resident who then called the city to have them taken down.
But Garnet Melnyk, senior officer for municipal enforcement, said most people don’t know they are breaking the law when putting up posters on city property. He also pointed out that he does not send out officers to hunt after missing-pet signs unless he receives specific complaints.
“We don’t actively go out and tear down lost dog posters on public property,” he said.
“So whatever other posters there were we didn’t worry about but the ones that we had specific complaints about in this specific area … whoever posted them came down and removed them.”
According to St. Albert’s traffic bylaw, any signage illegally placed on city property may be seized by Municipal Enforcement or Public Works and is subject to a fine (per sign) of $150. That is, if the person or group comes to pick them up at the impound yard. There are some exceptions though:
Any garage sale or open house signage may be placed on a boulevard in a residential district if the sign is self-supported, does not exceed 0.6 metre in width and one metre in height and is not posted for more than 24 hours prior to or following the event.
Special events may be advertised on city property if the signs are located at least 3.5 metres from any intersection and not placed on a centre median or traffic island.
These signs cannot be attached to any traffic standards, street lights or municipal signs, or impede the movement of pedestrians and vehicles. They must also be five metres from any fire hydrant or other emergency use equipment.
Melnyk said his officers mostly work on a complaint basis and often go out on the weekends to take garage sale and realtor signs off the side of major roads.
“You can’t put them on the middle of the boulevards and our officers will proactively go out and take those down because that is a traffic hazard,” he said.
“For drivers it distracts them and it could act as a hindrance for vision.”
He added that most people don’t seem to know about the fine.
The group looking for Sydney is not allowed to put up any more posters but was also not forced to take all of them down. McCaffry said she has now converted to handing out posters to pedestrians.
