Just a quick note to let you know that these sandwich- boards that pop up along our sidewalks like magic mushrooms every weekend are illegal. (However, after I got this pic home and took a look at it, I realized that the green can on the right bears the name of the Queen of Queens Crap. Rather appropriate that the Katz name appears on a garbage receptacle, but nonetheless interesting, considering this was taken at the corner of Queens Blvd and Grand Avenue, which is not within the confines of her litterbox. Why is the Department of Sanitation providing free advertising to politicians?) Anyway, the best place to put these obstructive signs, should you come across them, is inside a trashcan such as the one shown.Update:
From DOT's website: The Department of Sanitation enforces for: "A" Frame Signs, (718) 714-2730
And it's clearly stated in the Sanitation codes under "sidewalk obstruction."
The form for reporting violations is here: Obstruction on Street or Sidewalk or call 311.
24 comments:
The garbage can should be amended to read:
"Keep New York City Clean......DUMP Councilmember Melinda Katz" !
Did Katz pay for that advertizing out of her own pocket? If not, her name shouldn't be there. It should read, "Keep New York City Clean....The Taxpayers of The City of New York".
We had been told that the sandwich real estate signs are legal. Can you cite the rule that makes them illegal and who should be called for enforcement -- sure would appreciate it! Thanks!
Well, like putting your name on the boulevard of death, having your name on a garbage can is fitting for that element.
The reason that the councilmember's name is there (we have a bunch with Gioia's name in Woodside) is because these garbage cans (and the people who empty them) aren't paid for out of the general Sanitation budget. They're paid through a pot of funds allocated to each councilmember.
What this means is that in neighborhoods where the councilmember doesn't have as much money (isn't as powerful) or has more important things to spend the money on, the councilmember doesn't get advertising, and the people don't get any cans to put their trash in. Classic pork.
I'd also like to see who it is that is responsible for issuing summons for these real estate signs. The Department of Sanitation has already stated that it isn't within their jurisdiction, and has hinted it may be the Department of Transportation's responsibility.
Is this something that can be called into 311?
From DOT's website: The Department of Sanitation enforces for: "A" Frame Signs, (718) 714-2730
And it's clearly stated in the Sanitation codes under "sidewalk obstruction."
The form for reporting violations is here: Obstruction on Street or Sidewalk
Thank you so much for the information! I'll be sure to pass this along to my many neighbors who are sick of tripping over these signs in my neighborhood (LIC).
You learn something new everyday.
I'm not so sure that it's that clear-cut that every one of these signs are illegal. The only mention of these signs in the Sanitation codes is:
"Sidewalk area must be kept free from any obstruction that could impede pedestrian traffic. Obstructions may include, but are not limited to....sandwich or A-frame signs..."
Most (not all) of the RE signs are placed on the grassy strips by the curb, and therefore don't impede pedestrian traffic. The ones on the corners near the crosswalks do, and should be a violation.
What are the chances of DOS responding to a 311 or even online complaint that same day?
A sign on any spot on the sidewalk could impede pedestrian traffic. It doesn't say it actually does. I love vague rules. So do the city coffers.
I was always under the impression that anything left out on a public sidewalk near the curb was considered to be garbage. Throwing these things out makes sense.
You can't put them in the street, either, and I see realtors put them there all the time. And homeowners who want to save parking spaces for themselves put orange cones, garbage pails, you name it to reserve a place for that SUV. I'm going to report them, too. Thanks for the info!
I hope we're not blaming the homeowner for these signs. My house is on the market - of course if it's illegal then I don't want the real estate agent putting signs everywhere, but have you every tried reasoning with a real estate agent? In the end, it is the real estate agent who is doing it, not the homewoner.
The blame falls on the person who's name is on the sign. And since realtors love to advertise their names all over the place, the public knows exactly who to blame when they see one of these illegal signs.
And don't forget restaurants which put "Valet Parking" signs either on the sidewalk or in the street (the latter taking up parking spaces.)...AND don't also forget the noise violations: the ice cream trucks with their incessant jingles!...Here's the law on this: they can play their jingles for 10 seconds only while parked and can play the jingles continuosly while moving only...If they violate the 10 second parking rule, report the truck, the site, the plate number and the time when this usually occurs...I got Mr. Softee and the "quacking duck" truck to OBEY THIS RULING!!!...Silence is golden.
Wow, you guys are against Gallerger, Katz, Maltese, Sanchez, ice cream trucks, all development, all realtors, concerts in the park (unless by JPCA) and now even restaurants valet parking!
Why don’t you guys just give us newbie the “short list” of what you guys are actually for?
Answer: Pinky behind bars. That's really all I'm dying to see.
There is a new noise code going into effect soon, and that's what I believe George was referring to.
...and NEATNESS COUNTS!!!!!!
It's probably a novel idea (for anonymous) that civilized citizens are FOR civilized behavior from all the government employees whose snouts are stuck in the trough. Civilized citizens don't care a whit the level of the government employee; that is neither here nor there.
A civilized government employee who either writes or enforces the law for all of us would never think of betraying that trust. We are FOR any government employee who knows his/her place.
We are also FOR the fair and equitable enforcement of the laws, whether the laws pertain to A-Frame signs on the sidewalk or in the street, blocking public use and access. We are FOR enforcement of zoning and building codes. Civilized people know that these laws are the product of experience - some hard experiences such as families trapped in building fires. In short, we are FOR enforcement of all laws for all people on the easy to understand premise that the alternative is Stalinist chaos.
We are also FOR the notion that no government employee in any capacity, with any title is above the law. Civilized citizens find it repellent that any government employee would abuse the trust of that office for so much as a nickel.
So, civilized citizens feel free to use the US CONSTITUTION to express their repulsion that any government employee would permit any chaos, be it noise, sidewalk or street blockage, building or zoning violations, government employee corruption, or just general sleaziness by government employees. We - especially on this particular Blog - rejoice in our free exercise of all of our GOD GIVEN rights [no government employee ever granted a single right for a single second to a single citizen.]
The shortest list that we can write for Anonymous is that we love the law and the constitutional limits placed on government employees.
What snarky comment do you have for that list, Anonymous?
Imagine if the politicians did not have their names on trash cans and holiday newspaper ads. Would the average non-voting apathetic citizen even know that city council members exist or do anything?
Last month on Bell Blv'd. in Bayside.....to clarfy things.....it was DSNY that issued many fines for sidewalk sandwich signs.
This was confirmed by the store owners who placed those signs and showed us their written copies of the tickets they received !
A suggestion, if you happen to see another sign such as this one the best solution is to simply " trip " over it and then sue the real estate agent / agency.
It will be easy to reach them... their phone number is on the sign.
It's nice that a property pimp (real estate broker) can brazenly advertise his wares by littering our neighborhoods with his crappy street sign advertisements!
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