I sent a complaint to the local 1-800-GOTJUNK guy, plus their corporate PR, marketing and customer service addresses, and got this reply. We'll see if they mean what they say. Meanwhile, I doubt this company's franchisees are violating the law only in Utah. If they are spamming in your area, please whine loudly to Ms. Hanna and the other addresses below.

To look up the email address and phone number for your local 1-800-GOTJUNK operator, enter your zip code(s) at this URL: http://www.1800gotjunk.com/forms/locator.asp

Here are other addresses to which I complained:
customerservice@1800gotjunk.com
marketing@1800gotjunk.com
pr@1800gotjunk.com




>From: <sandra.hanna@1800GOTJUNK.com>
>To: <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: illegal signs for 1-800-GOT-JUNK
>Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2006 14:28:42 -0700
>
>Dear Sir or Madam,
>
>Thank you for taking the time to contact 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. We appreciate hearing from those is the communities that we are proud to serve. Please be advised that it is our policy that all franchise partners adhere to their local bylaws and city ordinances. I will forward this message immediately on to our Salt Lake franchise.
>
>Kind regards,
>
>Sandra Hanna
>
>Sandra Hanna | NASA / PR Coordinator - Junktion 604-637-3250 or 1-877-637-3250
>1-800-GOT-JUNK? |To book an appointment call 1-800-468-5865 or on-line at www.1800gotjunk.com
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Street Spam Avenger <mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Posted At: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 11:21 AM
>Posted To: pr@1800gotjunk.com
>Conversation: illegal signs for 1-800-GOT-JUNK
>Subject: illegal signs for 1-800-GOT-JUNK
>Importance: High
>
>Dear Mr. Gibson,
>
> We have noticed signs that read "1-800-GOT-JUNK" and are planted in the ground on H-shaped wire supports in public right-of-ways in several areas within the Salt Lake Valley.
>
> We are writing to advise you that it is illegal in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and other municipalities in the Salt Lake Valley to post advertising in public right-of-ways, on utility poles or on traffic signposts.
>
> Specifically, Salt Lake County Ordinances state:
>
> "19.82.120 Signs on public property. No sign shall be located on publicly owned land or inside street rights-of-way except signs required and erected by permission of an authorized public agency. Signs shall include, but not be limited to, handbills, posters, advertisements or notices that are fastened, placed, posted, painted or attached in any way upon any curbstone, lamppost, telephone pole, telegraph pole, electric light or power pole, hydrant, bridge, tree, rock, sidewalk or street. (Ord. 1034 § 1 part), 1988)"
>
> Salt Lake City ordinances state:
>
> "5.06.030 Advertising And Posters On Streets: It is unlawful for any person to advertise by the use of printed signs, posters, placards or other advertising media, upon the streets and sidewalks
>of the City, except in accordance with Chapter 21A.46 of this Code, or its successor. (Ord. 37-99 § 3, 1999: Ord. 88-86 § 40, 1986: prior code § 20-4-4)"
>
> "21A.46.060 Signs Specifically Prohibited In All Zoning Districts: The following exterior signs, in addition to all other signs not expressly permitted by this chapter, are prohibited in all zoning districts and shall not be erected:
> ...
> B.Any snipe sign;
> ...
> E.Portable signs, except where specifically permitted by district sign regulations;"
>
> "21A.46.070 General Standards: K.Signs On Public Property: Except for portable signs authorized pursuant to section 21A.46.055 of this chapter, no sign shall be located on publicly owned land or inside street rights of way, except signs erected by permission of an authorized public agency."
>
> Other local municipalities have similar laws.
>
> We also should note that in most jurisdictions within the Salt Lake Valley, it is illegal to park a vehicle on a public street or right-of-way for advertising purposes. Yet we have noted several times in recent months that 1-800-GOT-JUNK trucks have been parked in various locations for what appears to be advertising purposes. Please be advised these trucks may be towed.
>
> The sign codes are designed to protect the public from illegal visual pollution and from the litter that results when illegal signs eventually end up in the street. Please comply with the law and find a legal method to advertise.
>
> It is somewhat ironic that a junk-removal company is littering our landscape with illegal signs. We have removed about a dozen of your illegal signs -- most recently this morning on Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake City -- and expect you to remove the remainder. If violations continue, the signs we have confiscated will be turned over to the appropriate municipal code enforcement officers for legal action.
>
>Thank you,
>Utah Anti Street Spam Unit
>local chapter of Citizens Against Ugly Street Spam
>

>I sent a complaint to the local 1-800-GOTJUNK guy, plus their
>corporate PR, marketing and customer service addresses, and
>got this reply. We'll see if they mean what they say.
>Meanwhile, I doubt this company's franchisees are violating
>the law only in Utah. If they are spamming in your area,
>please whine loudly to Ms. Hanna and the other addresses
>below.

Hey, thanks for the info.

Got junk started spamming Denver a few years ago. Not only did they put out illegal signs, but they parked their trucks illegally in various parking lots over the weekend (when Code Enforcement was off duty).

After a few phone calls to CE (with a few pictures), the trucks were gone, not to return.

Yes ... do contact company headquarters. They brushed me off, but as the calls mount, they will succumb to public (customer) pressure.

And don't forget to call CE!

DenverShark

Another day, another complaint to 1-800-GOT-JUNK's HQ in lovely Vancouver, B.C.:


>From: "Street Spam Avenger" <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

>To: customerservice@1800gotjunk.com, pr@1800gotjunk.com, marketing@1800gotjunk.com

>CC: alliances@1800gotjunk.com, saltlakecity@1800gotjunk.com

>Subject: illegally parked 800-GOT-JUNK trucks

>Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:21:14 +0000
>

Dear 1-800-GOT-JUNK,

I previously complained that your franchisee or operator in the Salt Lake City area in Utah was (1) violating local sign codes with lawn-type signs placed illegally in public right-of-ways, and (2) violating local sign codes that prohibit parking trucks in other people's lots for the purposes of advertising.

I am glad to say the illegal signs pretty much stopped after my complaint. But your Salt Lake City operator continues to violate the law (Salt Lake County ordinance and various city sign codes) by illegally parking trucks overnight on other people's private property for the purpose of advertising.

This morning I filed a complaint with Salt Lake County Code enforcment because a 1-800-GOT-JUNK was illegally parked in the lot of an abandoned Sinclair gas station at approximately 2100 South and State Street. That location is directly south of the Salt Lake County government complex, so at last word, code enforcement was walking across the street to cite the vehicle.

Your operator here also has routinely parked trucks illegally in private property parking lots on the southwest corner of Highland and Murray-Holladay Road (a shut-down restaurant's lot) and in another lot on the southwest corner of 1300 East and 3300 South. And those are only locations in the parts of town I frequent.

I am a member of the Citizens Against Ugly Street Spam (www.causs.org), and the frequency of code violations by 1-800-GOT-JUNK reported on our website raises serious questions about your company's claim that it wants its franchisees and operators to obey local laws.

You are a big enough company that people doing business on your behalf should follow the law and use legal means of advertising.

Regards,

Utah Anti Street Spam Unit, local chapter
of Citizens Against Ugly Street Spam

They have not stopped yet. They placed signs in the Fort Worth - Dallas TX area. (On major highways where speed limit is 60mph.)

Please tell everyone to NOT to do business with this Canadian company.

They also illegally park their trucks by major roadways off-site from their brick and mortar location to advertise.

See attached pictures.

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

They are a specail project of mine.... Anytime I see a sign of theirs anywhere, I go out of my way to get it.

When the 1-800-GOT-JUNK crew park their trucks in parking lots in my area, it gives me a great place to dispose of my latest victims.

Jaws

Please do the following:

- Check with the owner of the parking lot (is that you?) to complain.

- Then call Code Enforcement to report off-premises advertising.

Have CE issue a citation and then have the lot owner have the vehicle towed.

DenverShark