Anderson Township removed 818 illegally placed temporary signs in 2025, the township announced Tuesday, Sept. 15, as officials urged residents to learn the rules ahead of election season.

Planning and Zoning Director Paul Drury said signs often end up on private property without an owner's consent, in the public right-of-way or on township greenspace. The township's sign rules, updated more than 15 years ago based on resident complaints, regulate signs by size and location only, not by content or message.

"With only several hours a week to devote to this effort, it's not easy to cover the nearly 200 miles of roadways in Anderson Township," Drury said in the township's announcement. "This takes time and energy away from community planning and key enhancement efforts."

The issue is not new. At the Board of Trustees meeting on April 2, Drury told trustees that "illegal sign enforcement is an issue" during a discussion of temporary signage fees.

Where signs can and cannot go

Temporary signs are allowed on private property with the owner's permission. They must sit at least 10 feet from the edge of pavement and outside the public right-of-way, whichever distance is greater. Signs also must be at least 5 feet from another temporary sign or a property line.

Signs cannot be placed on public property, in public rights-of-way, attached to utility poles or in locations that create a safety hazard. Signs placed on public property may be removed by the township and stored for about 30 days before being discarded.

Size limits and permits

In residential zones, a temporary sign of 8 square feet or less can be displayed for up to six months without a zoning certificate, according to the township's Temporary Signage Quick Reference Guide. A larger sign, up to 32 square feet, requires a certificate at $0.50 per square foot per side for each 12-day period, with a maximum of 48 days per year.

In non-residential zones, up to 16 square feet of signage is allowed without a certificate for six months. Larger signs up to 32 square feet require a certificate under the same 48-day annual limit.

Election season and limited staff

Complaints tend to spike before elections, the township said. Township planners are cross-trained as zoning inspectors, and sign enforcement gets only several hours a week from limited staff.

Residents can report sign violations by calling Anderson Township at (513) 688-8400, ext. 3, or emailing [email protected].