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Little Compton council sends sign and roadside-shoulder questions to planning board after safety concerns
Summary
After public testimony from the town tree warden and residents, the Little Compton Town Council voted to send four sign-policy questions to the planning board for review against the town comprehensive plan, focusing on nonprofit-only signs on town property, duration limits, sign counts and prompt post-event removal.
Jason Burchard, Little Compton’s tree warden, told the council that roadside shoulders are shrinking and that private plantings, stones, wooden stakes and signs on town land create hazards for crews working near moving traffic.
"We need to have as much room as possible on the side of the road for safety reasons," Burchard said, arguing that anything on the shoulder that can damage equipment or force crews into traffic should not be allowed.
Resident Audrey Poole’s written comments, read aloud at the meeting, urged clearer limits on signs on town property: allow only nonprofit event signs on town property, limit nonprofit signs to two weeks, limit the number of signs, and require removal within three days after an event. Poole also asked that political signs be prohibited from town property.
Town legal counsel (Speaker 8 during the discussion) told the council that state and town rights-of-way differ: signs on state property generally require state permission or an easement (citing section 11-22-2), while town property requires town permission and is governed by the town’s June sign policy. Counsel said adverse possession against government-owned property is not permitted.
The council discussed that the planning board had already reviewed the matter and voted for no change, but several members and residents said Marjorie O’Toole’s letter had not reached the planning board in time for that vote. Councilor Speaker 4 moved to forward four specific sign-policy questions to the planning board for a recommendation on compliance with the town comprehensive plan. The motion was seconded and approved.
The planning board will be asked to weigh in on: (1) whether only nonprofit organizations should be allowed to put temporary signs on town property; (2) whether nonprofit signs should be limited to two weeks; (3) whether Little Compton can limit the number of signs; and (4) whether signs must be taken down within three days after an event. The council clarified that the referral is for review and recommendation, not an immediate ordinance change.
Next steps: the planning board will review the four questions against the comprehensive plan and report back to the council; enforcement questions (which agency will remove illegal signs and how) were raised but left to follow-up actions.
