Realtors asking for off-site signs for homes for sale

Three signs could be 18 feet tall

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The St. Mary's County Planning Commission heard a request Monday from Realtors asking for more advertising signs for homes on the market.

Signs advertising home sales are allowed on the property for sale and sellers can post off-site signs on weekends only.

The Southern Maryland Association of Realtors is asking for a change to allow signs on off-site locations everyday to help move houses languishing in a depressed market.

As of the end of January, there were 849 residential properties up for sale in St. Mary's County. The Realtors' request asks for a maximum of three off-site signs per property on the market.

The maximum height for all real estate sale signs, either on or off the property, would be 18 feet.

If approved, the signs would have to be removed when the property goes to settlement.

While the public comment period is still open, the planning commission members said they would like to place a time limitation on the zoning amendment, if the county commissioners ultimately approve it.

Chairman Steve Reeves said he was concerned with the maximum size of the signs calling them "kind of like billboards."

He also wanted to know if the county could expect each property on the market to put up three signs, equaling about 2,400 signs.

"We don't anticipate a 100-percent participation," said Paula Martino, governmental affairs coordinator for the Southern Maryland Association of Realtors.

Planning commission member Shelby P. Guazzo said a Realtor placed signs on her property without her permission and said if off-site real estate signs are permitted on other properties, it should be done with written permission of the property owner.

She said she destroyed the signs.

"I would have done exactly the same thing you did," Martino said.

She said the signs would help people find homes for sale because most are off major roads.

"We're trying to get folks to homes," she said, because a major part of the transaction is actually touring a home.

As the planning commission also works on an amendment to allow more digital signs in the county, member Merl A. Evans said, "This sign proliferation thing needs to be addressed more comprehensively."

The entire chapter about signs in the zoning ordinance should be reviewed and updated, he said.

jbabcock@somdnews.com