Proposed changes to rules regarding signs will go before Town Meeting voters on Oct. 22 with the goal of promoting future enforcement and alleviating public confusion.

The item was added to the Town Meeting agenda by Selectmen at the request of Planning and Community Development Director Ken Buckland back in September as a way of cleaning up neglected and forgotten signs around town.

“We’ve been very lax when it comes to enforcing town bylaws,” Selectman Alan Slavin explained. “In this particular instance, cleaning up the language would help us to promote future enforcement and educate our residents on what they can and can’t do.”

The purpose of the sign bylaw is to promote safety on Wareham roads by reducing potential distractions and visual obstructions. The bylaw was first approved by voters during Fall Town Meeting in 2013.

Under the bylaw, signs cannot be erected in town without permission from the Director of Inspectional Services unless they are on private property.

The placement of signs on town property for events such as yard sales and open houses is strictly prohibited without approval from Selectmen. This means that it is unlawful to place signs on public trees, utility poles, bridges and other similar structures owned by the town.

“People shouldn’t be sticking things up wherever they like,” Slavin said.

Violators of this bylaw may be subject to a fine of up to $250 from the Director of Inspectional Services per offense. Each day that a violation continues is marked as a separate offense by the bylaw.

According to Slavin, the changes which will go before voters at Town Meeting are simply rewritten to further emphasize these existing points.

The first change would affect section 1119 of the bylaw. If approved, this change would add traffic signs and light poles to the list public places were signs may not be placed. It would also clarify that signs may be placed on private property with permission of the property owner for a maximum of 18 hours without Selectmen approval.

Another proposed change would detail how fines are distributed to violators with the Town Treasurer attaching the cost to the violator’s property tax bill when submitted by the Director of Inspectional Services.

Section 1133 of the bylaw would be removed entirely for redundancy as it contains the same information on off-premise directional signs.

Lastly, two new sections would be created in section 1135 for political signs. The first section states that signs may be placed up to 30 days before an election. The second states that political signs are not allowed on town, state, country or utility company properties.

“None of the proposed changes are major,” Slavin said. “It’s just a matter of cleaning up.”

To see the full sign regulations bylaw as it currently stands, click here.