posted on: 11/18/2019

The City of Dover’s Department of Planning and Community Development announces it will conduct a clean-up of off-premise signs, including those placed on trees and utility poles or within the right-of-way without permission.

In Dover, temporary signs are permitted only in selected commercial zoning districts and must meet dimensional and liability requirements. With a few exceptions, temporary signs that are not located on the owner’s property (also known as “off-premise” signs) are prohibited throughout Dover. Sign clean-ups are conducted in order to remove signs placed without permission, such as those often found attached to roadside trees and utility poles, or on the ground along roadsides. These signs can cause a safety hazard for motorists and pedestrians or create a visual blight that is unsightly for residents and visitors.

Assistant City Manager Chris Parker explains that another goal of the clean-up is to support those organizations with legal signage.

“Dover’s sign regulations were created to balance the need for identification, advertising, and communication with the need to protect safety and welfare and maintain an attractive appearance throughout the City,” Parker said. “Removing illegal signs helps to ensure that those who’ve followed these regulations know that their efforts to obtain permits are meaningful.”

City to conduct fall sign clean-up

posted on: 11/18/2019

The City of Dover’s Department of Planning and Community Development announces it will conduct a clean-up of off-premise signs, including those placed on trees and utility poles or within the right-of-way without permission.

In Dover, temporary signs are permitted only in selected commercial zoning districts and must meet dimensional and liability requirements. With a few exceptions, temporary signs that are not located on the owner’s property (also known as “off-premise” signs) are prohibited throughout Dover. Sign clean-ups are conducted in order to remove signs placed without permission, such as those often found attached to roadside trees and utility poles, or on the ground along roadsides. These signs can cause a safety hazard for motorists and pedestrians or create a visual blight that is unsightly for residents and visitors.

Assistant City Manager Chris Parker explains that another goal of the clean-up is to support those organizations with legal signage.

“Dover’s sign regulations were created to balance the need for identification, advertising, and communication with the need to protect safety and welfare and maintain an attractive appearance throughout the City,” Parker said. “Removing illegal signs helps to ensure that those who’ve followed these regulations know that their efforts to obtain permits are meaningful.”

Owners are advised to remove any unpermitted signs prior to the clean-up, which will occur prior to Thanksgiving. Any sign that is confiscated will be held at City Hall for 30 days prior to being recycled or destroyed, unless the sign is claimed by the owner after paying a reclamation fee based on the actual cost of man-hours and equipment use. Repeat offenders may be subject to prosecution and fines.

The City’s focus on enforcement of the ban on off-premise signage began in 2010. To review the application forms and regulations for the placement of temporary signage in Dover, please see the Planning and Community Development Department page on the City website, at www.dover.nh.gov/government/city-operations/planning/.

The Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 170 of the Dover City Code, addresses sign review and regulations in Section 170-32. For guidance on the placement of political advertising, refer to New Hampshire state law, RSA 664:17 “Placement and Removal of Political Advertising.”

For additional information please contact Elena Piekut, Assistant City Planner and Zoning Administrator, by phone at 516-6008 or by e-mail at e.piekut@dover.nh.gov.