Trustees clarify rules for temporary election signs, discuss enforcement challenges

With elections approaching, trustees asked for clarity on sign rules and enforcement. Community development told the board that a residential property can display two temporary signs for up to 90 consecutive days, with a maximum size of 16 square feet and nothing placed in the right-of-way; staff said enforcement is complaint-driven and that the 90-day clock typically starts when staff log a sign's presence.

"A property can have 2 temporary signs up for 90 consecutive days," the community development representative said, explaining staff process for logging and re-checking signs. Trustees and counsel discussed a prior federal-court line of cases that struck down content-based restrictions; legal counsel said the township enforces size and timing criteria (not content) to avoid unconstitutional content discrimination and acknowledged practical difficulties when people briefly remove and replace signs to reset timing.

Trustees reported one complaint had been resolved when the candidate removed the oversized sign and apologized; staff said they will continue to field complaints and enforce rules focusing on size and timing.