Burr Ridge OKs Sign Ban In Rights Of Way

BURR RIDGE, IL – Burr Ridge trustees decided this week to ban temporary signs in village rights of way, despite the objections of a local real estate agent.

Residents can still post such signs on their property.

Before the vote, real estate agent Krystle Johnson Downs pleaded with the Village Board to reject a sign ban.

"Some of you may regard these signs as a nuisance," she said. "I ask that you remember the good that has come from the placement of these signs."

She used the examples of signs that helped the movement against the polluting Sterigenics plant, the passage of school referendums, the promotion of the local Little League during the pandemic, garage sales, and sales of houses.

She asked the trustees to include a provision in the regulations to protect the interests of Burr Ridge residents, organizations and businesses.

But village officials noted they cannot regulate the messages on signs. At a previous meeting, an official said the village is entering unconstitutional territory if it must read a sign to determine its compliance.

At the meeting, Village Administrator Evan Walter said the current regulations are difficult to follow.

The village allows temporary signs in the right of way during the weekend. But they must include the name of the sign owner and written permission from the property owner next to the right of way.

"Staff has never encountered an example of (a sign) that has been truly compliant to every element of the sign ordinance," Walter said. "You have a de facto ban on signs in the rights of way now. If you have had a thousand examples in the last five years, not one has complied with the technical definition."

Trustee Guy Franzese, who was presiding over the meeting in Mayor Gary Grasso's absence, supported a ban on signs in the right of way.

"I'm sorry a few bad apples had to ruin it for the good people that want to have these signs and want to take care of them properly," he said. "There seems to be some support to change the ordinance to clean up the signs in the public right of way because, in my opinion, sometimes they look trashy."

The board voted unanimously for the ban.