Edition: 4-1 VIRGINIANS' AGAINST ILLEGAL SIGNS John Bell
PO Box 1123
North Springfield, VA 22151-0123

HELP - We will keep asking for your help to our associate Robert Lauderdale who still needs financial help for "stealing" builders signs in Arlington County and Fairfax County. Robert payed a $5,000 restitution to the person who installed more than 2,800 illegal signs over a 2-year period. Robert is still paying his fines and court costs exceeding $5,000.00. Any readers who would like to contribute to help appease Robert's financial situation, please send $$$ or call him at the information below:

Robert Lauderdale
1110 No. Kenilworth Ave. Apt.# 1
Arlington, VA 22205

Telephone: 703-237-2415

EDITORIAL- The American Association of Code Enforcement and associates managed to get Herbalife corporate headquuarters to pronounce policy forbiding their distributors placing advertisements in prohibited areas. They also established penalitys for their violators. At the same time, the Herbalife distributors continue to hide behind all kinds of anomonous shields. Their established business practices and complex economic flows makes effective implimentation extremely difficult. We at VAIS will believe this when we see it! However, this still is progress.

ARLINGTON COUNTY REPORT- Arlington County resident and Virginians Against Illegal Signs supporter, Robert Lauderdale has adopted part of Glebe Road from Lee Highway to Fairfax Drive. Next time you are in Arlington look for the “Virginians Against Littering” signs southbound from Lee Highway on Glebe Road or northbound from Fairfax Drive. You may recall this is the section of highway Robert was removing illegal signs on until he was arrested by the sign installer.

He is still under the court order where he “Shall not take, deface, destroy, damage, or otherwise touch signs or property of Scott A. Small, including as a member of the Adopt-a-Highway Program and not shall solicit recruit or encourage another to do the same. For a period of 2 years.” Robert reports that it is open season for illegal signs in this part of Arlington (from Lee Highway south on Glebe Road east on Fairfax Drive). Last year before the court date in November few if any signs were seen, this weekend 5 projects have put up signs, more that 100 were counted. (See STREET SPAM COUNT)

Robert is planning a clean up in the morning of the last Saturday in April he is trying to contact the local Boy Scouts and is looking for others to help call him at 703-237-2415 or e-mail at rll5@msn.com if you can be there.

Other projects includes catching someone putting up signs and getting them to court under Section 33.1-346. Dumping trash on highway or private property.

FAIRFAX REPORT – Sign Task Force Questionnaire. The Fairfax County Sign Task Force has posted a questionnaire on the Fairfax County’s web site. They are soliciting input from community organizations regarding the posting illegal signs in the public right-of way. Reponses are due by 5/20/02. In addition to the questionnaire, VAIS will submit a position paper to the Sign Task Force. Please participate.

To obtain this information, highlight, copy and paste the below address in your web browser address window and enter.

http://www.co.fairfax.va.us/dpz/zad/sign_task_forces.htm

Herbalife attack! On 3/26/02 The Home Business Success Program littered our streets with 32 brochures in The Elms development. They are advertising, Own a computer? Put it to work!” At the same time, they have illegal signs posted on our highway and utility poles. Of course, their mailbox address is in Bethesda, MD. We filed a verbal complaint with the Fairfax County authorities. At this time, we are awaiting a response for further action. Any other victimized neighborhoods should gather the evidence and call the County Zoning Division and send VAIS an e-mail note.

See the HERBALIFE REPORT for the big disconnect between corporate office and field perpetrators actions!!!

The Clean Fairfax Council is sponsoring Fairfax County Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, April 27th. It will be held at the NOVA Community College, Annadale Campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike, from 1100 am to 1600 pm . The admission is FREE. For additional information call 703-324-5471.

STREET SPAM COUNT - On Sunday, 3/31/02, we conducted our illegal sign survey for the following highway sections:

Arlington County: Glebe Road between Lee Highway and Fairfax Drive (1.1miles):

59 - Advertising businesses/garage sales/etc.
6 - Herbalife (Earn $$$$ at home while losing weight)
0 - Graffiti
136 - Advertising publication self-service boxes: 34 (see Note 3)
201 - Total

Fairfax County: Rolling Road between Braddock Road and Old Keane Mill Road (2.2 miles):

121- Advertising businesses/garage sales/etc.
1 - Herbalife (Earn $$$$ at home while losing weight)
0 - Graffiti
124 - Advertising publication self-service boxes: 31 (see Note 3)
246 - Total

Note:
1. Lost kittens- 0
2. Survey includes intersections and turn lanes
3. Advertising boxes count x 4, signage on all 4 sides.

MARYLAND REPORT- From our activist associate Kate in Prince George's County: Persently, trying to get in touch with the Department of Public Works to see why they are slow in enforcing the new illegal sign law in PG. Has seen a very small improvement, but last week took down 50 more posters of nightclubs that I had told them about. Also, contacting the Prince George's Gazette to do a story on illegal signs and the new law. Lastly, she will be attending a meeting on April 13 with other
anti-sign activists for a strategy session.

Last month we reported on Montgomery County's attempt to get changes to the MD code to include that placing signs in the public rights-of-way constitutes both a public and private nuisance failed. Nevertheless, kudos and thanks to Dana for introducing 1079 and the SHA for supporting it -- but our elected majority of one committee saw otherwise!

A victory for Montgomery County. Our team contacted Tuition Painters head office in this area and informed them about the
Montgomery County sign law. They agreed to remove any and all illegal signs that may be in the public rights-of-way. However, the street spam volunteers reported that some Tuition Painters were putting out their large wire mounted (UGLY) yellow plastic sleeve signs along roadways, particularly up-county (the Shady Grove area). Accordingly, the Tuition Painters management has contacted their people to remove illegally placed signs.

Likewise, KEEP IN THE LOOKOUT FOR UNIVERSITY PAINTERS, WHICH LAST YEAR CAUSED QUITE A RUCKUS WITH HUNDREDS OF "Herbal-Life-Like" utility pole signs all around Eastern and Upper Montgomery County. We placed a call to their office and are awaiting a call back.

VDOT REPORT- April is an Adopt-a-highway clean up month. Presently, there is a Fairfax County highway section on Old Lee Road between Braddock and Willard roads awaiting adoption. Any person, group, or organization can adopt a highway. If you are interested, please contact Cindy Mercer, VDOT Adopt-a-Highway Coordinator at 703-383-2335.

The Adopt-a-Highway program provides volunteers with instructional information, safety vests, and orange bags. VDOT also erects a road sign along the volunteer’s area recognizing the individual or group by their name. You must agree to pick up litter along a two-mile section of VDOT maintained highway four times per year for two years.

Our observations identify assigned Adopt-a-Highway sections that could use extra volunteer help between mandatory clean ups. Likewise, we are dissatisified with VDOT's failure to effect any street spam advertisement enforcement. Nevertheless, we must all work together to rid Virginia's highways of street spam.

CAUSS REPORT- A major break has occurred in the national epidemic of street spam and the major contributor of same.
The following correspondence was received by CAUSS from Rick Wolf, President of the American Association of Code
Enforcement. This information may be dated for some of you, however, for those not aware, there has been a tremendous effort on
the part of several code enforcement officials around the country to bring this about.

The American Association of Code Enforcement and several code enforcement officials managed to get Herbalife headquaters to announce that posting their signs in the was against corporate policy. Also, Herbalife setforth penalities for any of their people who break state and local statutes when posting advertising signs. This detailed information is available on the CAUSS-Forum in the announcements section for those having peers which may be interested at: http://www.causs.org/ .


HERBALIFE REPORT - See above CAUSS REPORT article and FAIRFAX REPORT.

PASS IT ON - Please pass Littering Notes on to anyone who shares our highway litter and illegal signs interests.

BACK ISSUES - We gladly supply LITTERING NOTES back issues.

NOTE - We provide e-mail address security by displaying selected addresses. This protects our street spam activists names and addressees from falling into unwanted hands!

Regards,

Authored by
John Bell

GW