The Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath, New York, hereby
finds that the use of notices, temporary signs and advertising devices
along public streets, highways and roads and upon public property
creates unreasonable distractions to operators of motor vehicles,
creates confusion with regard to traffic lights, signs and signals,
impairs visibility of pedestrians and motor vehicles, creates safety
hazards to the public and, in particular, pedestrians, distracts from
identification of surrounding businesses and house numbering and further
detracts from the aesthetic character of buildings, sites, districts
and the Village as a whole. In addition, the Board of Trustees finds
that the undue proliferation of notices, temporary signs and advertising
devices along public rights-of-way and upon public property detracts
from the established character of the adjoining properties and of
the neighborhood in which they are located and further depreciates
the value of said properties and neighborhoods. It is hereby determined
that the removal of said notices, temporary signs and advertising
devices will promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare
of the community in which they are located.
[Amended by 1-21-2003 by L.L. No. 2-2003]
With the exception of any notice or sign placed or erected by
or authorized to be placed or erected by the Village, town, county,
state or any other governmental authority, and further, with respect
to all signs pertaining to traffic regulations, parking regulations
and fire zones which are subject to the rules and regulations of the
New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, and, further, with respect
to any business or commercial advertising sign erected and/or placed
on or immediately in front of the business or commercial establishment
for which such sign is intended to advertise, no notice, temporary
sign or advertising device shall be located within or upon the right-of-way
of any Village, town, county or state street, road or highway or upon
any Village, town, county or state or other publicly owned building
or land located within the Village of Bath, New York. Any signage
not prohibited herein shall be erected and/or placed as to not unreasonably
interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
The Street Supervisor or his designee is hereby authorized to
remove any notice, temporary sign or advertising device placed within
the right-of-way of any Village street, road or highway, or upon any
property owned by the Village of Bath, including but not limited to,
Village buildings, streets, highways, parks or other public lands.
The Street Superintendent or his designee shall be authorized to dispose
of said notices, temporary signs and advertising devices as he shall
determine. Upon receipt of written authorization from the New York
State Department of Transportation and/or the Steuben County Public
Works Department, the Street Supervisor shall be authorized to remove
notices, temporary signs and advertising devices in accordance with
this section from any state and/or county road and highway.