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Hambone's Headquarters Signs Illegal, Says Citizen

McKay’s signs have NOT been removed from his “campaign headquarters” building at the corner of Rt 235 and Millstone Landing Rd. I’ve received no response from McKay or the BOCC, and what you see below is all I’ve gotten from LUGM.

This is a sign of political hypocrisy (pun intended).

 

Walter

240-925-0444

 

 

fyi

 

 

Yvonne,

As I have pointed out, the very large McKay for Senate sign pictured below violates ZO article 65.2.6.g, and it turns out that his pole sign is illuminated in violation of this article as well, and each face of the pole sign probably exceeds 32 square feet.

g. Political Campaign Signs. Temporary political campaign signs not greater than 32

square feet in size may be erected in all districts. Illuminated political campaign signs are

prohibited and shall not be affixed to any public structure or erected in the public right

of-way. Political campaign signs may not be erected more than 45 days prior to the

election, and shall be removed within 15 days after the primary election if the candidate

is not a candidate in the general election. All remaining political signs shall be removed

2 within 15 days after the general election.

I would also like to point out that all three of the temporary political campaign signs on this building extend above the roof of the building in violation  of  65.2.2.a of the ZO which reads;

Prohibited Signs. Unless otherwise indicated elsewhere in this chapter, the following signs are

prohibited:

a. Signs on or extending above a building roof, except that, with approval of a Master Sign

Plan so providing, a wall sign may be architecturally integrated into a sloping roof fascia

or mansard roof.

The ZO addresses political campaign headquarters with the following provision from 65.2.4.a of the ZO which reads;

4. Temporary and Miscellaneous Signs.

a. Temporary signs, banners, flags, and other advertising devices may be placed to

announce civic events, the non-profit organizations sponsoring a civic event, the opening

of a new business, a special event, a public service, or a political campaign headquarters

or to introduce a new product or service. Such temporary signs may be placed for a

maximum of 60 days each calendar year provided the total temporary and permanent sign

area shall not exceed 150 percent of permitted permanent sign area, and provided that

temporary devices do not create safety hazards or block signs identifying adjoining

establishments.

That building is probably around 50’ wide, which would allow Commissioner McKay to post approximately 75 square feet of temporary political signage with no one sign exceeding 32 square feet in area. He certainly has more than that.

Administration of the sign provisions of the Zoning Ordinance has been ineffective at best, and enforcement of the sign provisions has been selective and arbitrary. Every weekend, wealthy builders and developers (high dollar political campaign contributors) saturate the County with real-estate directional signs in violation of both State law and the Zoning Ordinance, and LUGM does nothing to stop them.  The sign provisions (as well as the rest of the Zoning Ordinance) need to be enforced fairly for everyone, including developers and the St. Mary’s County Commissioner President, and not just on small business owners like Richard Shin of Decorators Trading Company, located right across the street from Commissioner McKay’s political campaign headquarters.

Walter Burch

 

 

Yvonne,

The very large “McKay for Senate” wall sign (pictured) on the building is much larger than any sign that was on the building before, and well exceeds the 32 square feet maximum allowed by the ZO for political signs. The STEELE and EHRLICH signs are 32 square feet signs. I’m not questioning the re-faced pole sign that used to read “BINGO.”  I’m not taking political sides on this – Dyson had an oversized sign near the Apple Basket as well. The ZO needs to be enforced without bias. Perhaps LUGM cannot do this with respect to a County Commissioner, and this issue would be better decided by the Board of Appeals. If you insist that the large McKay sign is a re-facing of a pre-existing legal nonconforming sign, please send me the permit for the sign that was refaced.  I live in that neighborhood, and know for fact that there was never a sign that large on the building before. The pictured wall/roof sign needs to be removed or reduced in size in accordance with the ZO that was enacted by Commissioner McKay and the BOCC. Commissioner McKay is not above the law.

Walter