Signs and Trash

Trash along Lee Vaughn Road near an active subdivision

As the pace of development and construction increases, so do the complaints about violations of various laws and ordinances.

Recently a concerned citizen made a very well prepared presentation to Greenville County Council about trash along roadways near active residential development sites. The argument was made compelling by a multi-slide presentation showing photographs of garbage on the sides of roads in the Simpsonville area.  Much of the garbage shown is construction-related waste including wrapping material for shingles.

Greenville County government has contacted your Home Builders Association and asked that our members be conscientious about maintaining a clean and trash-free job site.  Note also that Greenville County has instructed Environmental Enforcement as well as Litter Enforcement to conduct tarp checks on trucks carrying trash.  Those not properly covered will be ticketed (it is the law).

Please help yourselves by helping your community and control litter on your job sites.

Signs

The Greenville County Code of Ordinances, as well as those of the various municipalities in the county, limit the location and time that temporary lead-in signs may be used to advertise real estate for sale.

Under the rules, directional signs may not:

• be placed in the right-of-way or within 15 feet of the right-of-way
• create a visual obstruction for motorists
• be fastened to trees or utility poles in the right-of-way
• be placed on private property without the property owner's permission

Signs may be set out after 7 p.m. on Friday and must be removed by 7 a.m. on Monday. Their size may not exceed 3 feet in width and 2 feet in height.

As we enter election season, which will last another eight months(!), complaints about political signs will emerge.  Unfortunately, real estate signs can get caught in that discussion.  The timing is compounded by the fact that Greenville County is beginning a two- to three-month review of its sign ordinance.  Note that Michael Dey, Chief Executive Officer of your Home Builders Association, will serve on that review panel.

The best way to insure that your right to use unpermitted lead in signs is to comply with the current ordinance summarized above.