Lane County approves ordinance removing roadside signage requirement for targeted weed treatments

Lane County commissioners on April 22 approved Ordinance 2502, amending Lane Code Chapter 15 to remove the requirement that county crews place large roadside signs at every noxious-weed treatment location in the public right-of-way.

The change, adopted by a 4-0 roll call vote with Commissioner Farr excused, responds to staff concerns about the effectiveness and logistics of the signs and is intended to allow more timely, species-specific treatments of noxious weeds across Lane County’s roughly 1,400 miles of roads.

Natural resource specialist Melanie O’Hara told the board the county’s herbicide program is “limited use in nature” and does not perform broadcast roadside spraying; it focuses on treatments such as overgrown guardrails, state-listed noxious-weed locations and stump-sprouting trees after removals. She said the current sign requirement reduces flexibility because weather, species treatment windows and shifting workloads often prevent treatment within the period a pre-placed sign was meant to notify the traveling public.

O’Hara said crews were required to place the orange roadside signs about seven days before a scheduled application and to remove them three days after treatment, and that those signs are frequently stolen or vandalized. “These 48-inch orange road signs are stolen and vandalized each year,” she said, noting staff have found signs in ditches, adjacent roadways, farm fields and even a marsh in Coos Bay. O’Hara said the county will continue to post advance notices about upcoming applications on Lane County websites and include reminders in renewal letters for residents enrolled in no-spray programs.

Vice Chair, who moved the ordinance, argued the change reduces public confrontations caused when people see the signs and stop to question landowners or contractors. “I think it was a year ago when we started this process, and I’m very excited because the farmers out in our rural communities get talked to when they see these signs,” the vice chair said during discussion.

The motion to approve Ordinance 2502 was seconded by Commissioner Buck. The board then took a roll-call vote; Commissioners Trigger, Seneca, Buck and Lovell voted in favor and Commissioner Farr was recorded as excused. The clerk announced the motion passed 4–0 with Commissioner Farr excused.

County staff told the board they expect the change to improve program efficiency and timing of treatments, reduce staff time and costs associated with sign placement and removal, and increase prevention and control of infestations by allowing crews to apply treatments at the optimal seasonal window for each species.

The ordinance text amends Lane Code Chapter 15 regarding integrated vegetation management practices; the transcript did not specify an effective date for the ordinance.