The forlorn symbolism of this orphaned "Vote Democrat" sign lying where it fell by Spring Street.

These photos are worth a thousand words, but in the end, does anyone care? It's only been two and a half months.

(Yes, I could do it; have before and will again, but not unlike Adam's Tattered Legion, I'm willing to score propaganda points now and again.)

Those drab "luxury" condos and apartments? "Policymakers, pretty much across the board, don't value design."

I'm just trying to figure out why The Breakwater Lofts at Duggins Flats gets an exemption from the street spam ordinance.

Those 'Luxury' Condos Look A Little Drab (WBUR)

In cities like Seattle, Boston, Denver and Charlotte, new "luxury" condos and apartment buildings are going up to meet demand for new housing. But many of these buildings look like simple, plain boxes.

Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson talks with architecture critic and author Sarah Williams Goldhagen (@SarahWGoldhagen) about what makes these buildings "poor," "boring" architecture, and how monotonous architecture actually negatively affects us.

On why there are so many of these kinds of buildings being built

"There are a lot of different reasons for it. If you separate it out into supply and demand, one is that that's what's being built, so that's what's cheap to build, because the wheels are greased for that kind of architecture. Buy in bulk. That's what the market has been giving and so it's easy to give that. The second reason is that there's a general point of view, both among real estate developers, who are building these buildings, and among clients who are buying these buildings, that good design ... is an unaffordable luxury. And we know two things now: one, it's not unaffordable. It costs just as much to build a well-designed building as a poorly designed building. And neither is it a luxury because the research is clearly showing that people actually respond very poorly to those bad buildings.

How many of these signs are illegally placed?

Photo credit: MC.

A: All of them ... unless, of course, the Bored of Works has exempted the parks department from the city's own rules.

But seriously: The street department makes periodic sweeps to remove signs like the ones now being mounted by the parks department.

Shouldn't the rules apply to everyone, equally?

Yeah, I suppose we've been on this tangent for a few years now ... since about 2005. 

Which of these signs comes with a stamp of approval from the Board of Works?

12-foot high street spam? Not a problem, so piss off, spammer.

10 years ago: "Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal."

Quite a haul of street spam.

10 years ago: "Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal."

The following was published at NAC on December 1, 2005. It was the beginning of my sign sharking career, and while cumulative totals are not known, I'd estimate the number of signs personally confiscated and destroyed during the past decade to be in the range of 400. 

This is where it started. The CAUSS site is still active, although the forum is down. 

---

Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal.

Here’s a far too common scene around town.


No doubt you've grimaced at the many "Buys Houses" signs, both on utility poles and in medians or along city streets. The circus posters were put up in September, and many still can be seen, rotting, where they were stapled.

These are examples of "street spam."

Q: What is Street Spam?

A: Street Spam is the term for illegal signs along roadways, at intersections, on traffic signs or utility poles, and even on private property. Illegal street signs are also called vertical litter, bandit signs, snipe signs, utility pole advertising and stuff on a stick (SOS). The signs may advertise local businesses, multilevel marketing schemes selling weight loss products, health insurance, sample sales, landscaping services and even pet waste removal services. Some of the most common spam signs have the come-on Work at Home, Work From Home, I Lost 30 Pounds in 30 Days, Have a PC, We Buy Houses, Affordable Health Insurance, Budget Health Plans, and Going Out of Business.

The preceding definition comes from the FAQ section of the Citizens Against Ugly Street Spam web site.

Until reading the CAUSS FAQ, I wasn't aware that I'm a "sign shark." During city walks, "street spam" has a way of coming off in my hands. As noted by CAUSS, illegal signage (exceptions being legitimate realtor's signs and the like) is nothing more than litter -- and who doesn't believe in picking up litter?

For a similar perspective, and abundant photographic evidence of the targets as identified by these and various other like-minded campaigns, visit Atlanta Street Spam Eradication Campaign.

Anyone for a "sign shark" roaming walk some afternoon?

12-foot high street spam? Not a problem, so piss off, spammer.

I enjoy parading the booty through the streets.

Which of these signs comes with a stamp of approval from the Board of Works?

It's getting to be about that time again, don't you think?

Lest this be construed as criticism of the Street Department, it is not. Rather, it is a plea to deputize the citizenry. If during the course of a constitutional, one also has the city's support in sign sharking, then it's a wonderful day outdoors. I may not have time to hit the Works meeting this morning, but there's always next week.

March 19, 2012: Quite a haul of street spam.

March 13, 2012: Thompson: "On Friday, March 16th, we will be removing all unauthorized signs that are placed in the right-of-way.”

May 26, 2011: Tears in my eyes as municipality finally catches up to blog on street spam and illegal signage ... this link includes more links to sign sharking exploits dating back to 2005.

Quite a haul of street spam.

Photo courtesy of the city of New Albany; the signs pictured were collected during last Friday's sign cleanup "blitz".

Nash: "It is amazing how much garbage you will see on the ground."

The city's first government-sanctioned street spam sign sharking campaign in recent memory, perhaps ever, was supposed to have started on Friday, March 16. Did any readers actually witness city workers uprooting yard signs in rights-of-way? If so, were they including utility poles as part of the rights-of-way directive?  They should have, but this was not made clear in previous releases and news reports.

Meanwhile, over at the local pop-up generator, Matt Nash correctly assesses the dismal state of the city's cleanliness, but take heart: An early spring means more greenery (and weeds), which always help to obscure the unsightliest bits.

NASH: Keeping our city clean

... I don’t remember my parents ever sitting me down and teaching me not to litter. I don’t remember an instance where they specifically said not to do it. I guess the reason I don’t litter today is because I never saw them do it. It looks like a lot of people around our city didn’t have good parents like I did.

If you travel around New Albany by any mode of transportation other than an automobile, it is amazing how much garbage you will see on the ground. With all of the nice weather that we have had this winter, I have been able to walk or ride my bike around our city and it looks terrible. Piles of garbage are collecting along our roadways and creating an unsightly mess in several locations.

Thompson: "On Friday, March 16th, we will be removing all unauthorized signs that are placed in the right-of-way.”

(Thanks D)

PRESS RELEASE
March 13th, 2012
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michael Hall

In an effort to continue his push to make New Albany a physically cleaner city, Mayor Gahan has announced that on Friday, March 16th, his team will initiate a sign cleanup blitz.

“Mayor Gahan has been adamant in his drive to make our City an attractive place,” stated Street Commissioner Mickey Thompson. “On Friday, March 16th, we will be removing all unauthorized signs that are placed in the right-of-way.”

This cleanup will affect all signs placed in the right-of-way, the grassy area between the sidewalk and the curb. In the future, if a citizen wishes to place a sign in the right-of-way, they will need to appear before the Board of Works for approval.

“I have been hearing from a large number of citizens that this is growing to be a problem, and it is something that they want addressed,” began Mayor Gahan. “I agree with them that something needs to be done, and I am confident that Mr. Thompson and his team will continue to help me succeed in my vision of a physically cleaner City.”

All signs will be held at the Street Department for 30 days, per Ordinance 99.35. A fee will be charged at pickup for removal and storage.

Viva la "Piss Off, Street Spammer."

The phone number leads here: Diversified Homes LLC. The website's Faith Corner features a testimonial signed by Michael S. Hill. Readers, if you can locate the relevant Biblical passage pertaining to street spammers ...

Street spam: "One irritating business tactic to eliminate another."

(Mid-afternoon update: When I wrote on FB earlier today about the need to address street spam, Board of Public Works member Suellen Wilkinson responded: "Mayor is working on this I'm told, so is the City Council with a new ordinance I believe. When this was brought before the Board of Works a few months ago, I had suggested that the Neighborhood Associations be 'deputized' to remove such signs. The street dept is having a special day soon to gather all illegally placed signs, especially in the City's rights of way, and will do that several times until the message is received loud and clear. In the meantime, good citizens have to do what good citizens have to do!")

I like the idea. Perhaps here in New Albany, we can spend the next three years or so building consensus that street spam indeed is a problem, after which we'll be in excellent position to ignore it, again, until after another election cycle. Thanks to DC for the link.

Hollywood unleashes robocalls to fight illegal signs

• 

Hollywood Code Compliance Officer Irish Gardner removes a "pop-up"… (Walter Michot, Miami Herald.)

March 08, 2012|By Tonya Alanez, Sun Sentinel

HOLLYWOOD — The city has unleashed one irritating business tactic to eliminate another.

A new robocalling campaign seeks to hassle, hound and harass out of existence those pesky signs that illegally clutter public medians with offers to buy your gold and junk cars, fix your AC or rescue you from foreclosure. .

The November election is over. Aren't the yard signs supposed to come down?

There oughta be an ordinance ...

Dazzled by the Kay Jewelers retail anchor at River View, council acts to enlarge the Bicentennial Commission.

Following the work session, the council convened its regular meeting.

By my count, amazingly there were seven 2011 election "losers" among tonight's peanut gallery attendees:  Bagshaw, Bledsoe, Burks, Rutherford, Stumler, Wilkinson and your humble correspondent.

Happily or otherwise, we're all staying involved. Just like King Larry, Erika's man of the year, who declined to show up tonight.

During city official speaking time, Greg Phipps of the 3rd asked whether there had been any follow up to ordinance G-11-30, which was passed in October, 2011, addressing CHAPTER 130: OFFENSES AGAINST MUNICIPAL REGULATIONS (it appears that 2011 updates to the on-line code have yet to be made). This initiative would seem to have originated with the Board of Works in May, 2011.

All I can tell you for sure is the ordinance addresses illegal signage (street spam), and apparently mentions the possibility of citizen appointees or council persons themselves doing the job of uprooting illegal signage. When asked, Kevin Zurschmiede admitted that no, nothing about the ordinance had been pursued any further, and he appealed to city attorney Stan Robison to follow up. Robison agreed to do so.

Street spam sharks everywhere, including me, began salivating. At long last, we get to start pulling down signs with a seal of approval. I simply can't wait.

The only other significant order of business tonight was this ordinance:

G-12-02 
Ordinance Amending the City of New Albany Ordinance G-09-06 Concerning the Bicentennial Commission Membership, Zurschmiede 1st & 2nd readings

The measure passed unanimously on its first two readings. Although no one knows exactly who serves on it now, the Bicentennial Commission (known colloquially as the Flying Crutchfield Circus) will be enlarged by up to four members if the 3rd reading is successful. Zurschmiede pointed out that after canvassing all and sundry, "There is a need to expand this body,” to get new warm bodies and help "energize" this group and "move it forward."

I was sure he intended to "reach out," but gratefully, it didn't come to that.

The current self-appointed arbiter of all things Bicentennially Ours, council person Bob "CeeSaw" Caesar, said that he was down with all of it, before adding that no matter who makes the selection, mayor or council, David Barksdale should be appointed to the commission.

Caesar inexplicably failed to add, "That's not a request," although I'm confident he was thinking it.  Maybe he needs to reach out more often.

Tears in my eyes as municipality finally catches up to blog on street spam and illegal signage.

For the past few years, I quit writing about street spam and ugly, annoying, illegal signage.

But I never ceased the rewarding hobby of street spam sign sharking. I’ve pulled down hundreds of these eyesores since 2006. It once crossed my mind to keep the haul, and to photograph it. Sad to say, the resource-wasting placards ended up in the landfill, and I feel bad about that part of it. Can they be recycled?

Today comes overdue vindication: Five or so years after I lobbied the Garner administration to do something about street spam (there was the predictable talk, accompanied by no walk whatsoever), the headline appears at OSIN:

Get rid of the junk: New Albany may call on residents to help remove signs

Before the text, which includes the usual irrelevant Coffeyite grandstanding about yard sale signs, consider these past links from NA Confidential:

One excellent morning's "street spam" sign sharkin'.

One fine Sunday spent "street spam" sharkin'.

Netpointe's street spam: We do not like it here or there ... we do not like it anywhere.

Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal.

The mobile sign shark kicks off the 2006 anti-street spam beautification campaign.

Here's the rest of the story from OSIN’s Daniel Suddeath.

New Albany residents could soon be appointed to clear the city’s right-of-ways of illegal signage.

The New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety approved an amendment this week to the city’s ordinance governing signs on public property such as utility poles.

The proposal will now move to the New Albany City Council for consideration. If passed, the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety would have the ability to appoint members of the community to take down signs placed in the city’s right-of-ways.

Such signs could include yard sale notices, commercial advertisements or political signs.

Shea Van Hoy jeers candidate campaign sign street spam.

It's time again for Cheer & Jeers at the extended local newspaper, and Shea Van Hoy is having a justifably violent allergic reaction to street spam. He might have mentioned the name of the sole candidate to reject such pollution: Me.

JEERS

... to politicians or their supporters who litter public property with campaign signs.

Most municipalities have laws against this sort of thing, laws that are regularly ignored by fly-by-night businesses. I can understand that to a point — they are just trying to turn a quick buck.

But those in elected office — or who want to be — are held to a higher standard, so breaking the laws others have made is a double-negative.

All the signs in places they shouldn’t be are a sore sight for the eyes.

— Shea Van Hoy, editor

Today's Tribune column: "Sign o' the rabid times."

BAYLOR: Sign o’ the rabid times

This is the year my family reunion came to town. Annual hosting privileges rotate between the cousins, who are the sons and daughters of my mother and her seven brothers and sisters, five of whom now have passed on. With my oldest cousin nearing 70 and only a handful younger than me, it appears that a passing of the torch is imminent. Until then, we soldier on.

Can you spot ...

... the illegal signage?

New Albany welcomes another retailer to downtown.

I saw the (illegal) sign on Spring Street last Thursday, and did a double take. A garage sale every day of the week? Is that actually possible?

It's always important to make customers feel welcome: "Who wants to be in jail?"

On Saturday morning, the trinkets were spread across the long-vacant lot pictured below, and I suppose that's why "garage sale" seems semantically out of place. Although it's a "sale," there isn't exactly a "garage" from which to conduct it, and anyway, if a "garage sale" is every day, doesn't it cease being a "garage sale" and start being a "flea market"?

Furthermore, is trashiness a New Albanian birthright? Or, is it just a case of plain folks getting by? And if one undertakes to discuss aesthetics, does it automatically imply deadly "elitism"?

Wonder if they carry any used spark plugs?