Sign Sweepers

Illegal signs litter our roadways and can be hazardous to pedestrians and drivers. The Sign Sweeper program aims to collect and dispose of signs that are illegally posted near curbs, in medians and on utility poles.

To become a Sign Sweeper, citizens must go through a short training by the Public Works Department. Sign Sweepers will receive an ID card to verify that they have been trained and are under direction of the City. They will be asked to complete sweeps once a month, quarterly or as they see the need arise.

Program Requirements

Sign Sweepers must take training to become certified.
Sign Sweepers will patrol select areas once a month or quarterly and collect all illegal signs.
Sign Sweepers will report the location, information and phone numbers found on the signs collected to the Sign Sweeper Coordinator, Public Information Coordinator Jason Brown, at jabrown@cityofchesapeake.net or 757-382-6983.

What is an illegal sign?
What signs are Sign Sweepers authorized to remove?
How should Sign Sweepers remove illegal signs?
How to avoid confrontation with sign owners
Disposal of illegal signs
Reporting your illegal sign disposal
Upcoming Sign Sweeper Training

What is an illegal sign?

There are many different factors that make a sign illegal – you probably see one every day! Signs posted in a right of way or on city property are illegal. This includes medians, the space between curbs and sidewalks, and utility or traffic signal poles.

Download and print the City of Chesapeake Temporary Signs Brochure, which you can use to educate fellow citizens and business owners in the community!

What signs are Sign Sweepers authorized to remove?

Sign Sweepers can remove any temporary sign located in the right of way (keeping safety in mind). The right of way includes the following locations:

Temporary signs located within a median on a public street.
Temporary signs located between a public street and a sidewalk.
Temporary signs located between a utility pole and public street. (Utility poles are located within the Right of Way)
No signs can be located any closer than 5 feet from the edge of a paved road or 1 foot behind a sidewalk.

City of Chesapeake crews will continue to remove illegal signs when possible and will take care of medians on busy streets. Only collect signs when and where you feel safe doing so!

How should Sign Sweepers remove illegal signs?

First of all, safety is key! Obey all traffic laws, do not remove signs at night and avoid removing signs on busy roads during rush hours. Do not remove illegal signs from medians on busy roads unless they are located at a stoplight with a crosswalk and you feel comfortable doing so.

Always wear a safety vest and always carry your Street Sweeper identification card. It may be helpful to also carry with you extra copies of the Temporary Signs brochure. If signs are mounted high out of your reach or in a way that you cannot physically remove it, contact the Chesapeake Customer Contact Center for removal (382-CITY).

How to avoid confrontation with sign owners

If you are approached by the owner of the sign, do not enter into a confrontation with the person.

If the person is calm, show them your Street Sweeper identification card, give them a Temporary Sign brochure (or direct them to the Public Works website where they can find one) and explain to them why their sign is illegal. Suggest they contact the Zoning Administration of the Department of Development and Permits at (757) 382-8454 to obtain a sign permit (or simply have them call 382-CITY for instructions).

If the person is confrontational, put the sign back where you found it and walk away. Report the illegal sign and the confrontation to the Sign Sweeper Coordinator when you give your report.

Disposal of illegal signs

Chesapeake ordinances allow for the immediate disposal of illegal signs. If you need help with sign disposal, include that in your report to the Sign Sweeper Coordinator.

Reporting your illegal sign disposal

In an effort to track the progress of this program and to ensure that the City properly communicates signage laws to the citizens, we ask that you report back to the Sign Sweeper Coordinator via email with the following information from the signs you collect:

Message & phone number from sign
The location it was found
Date it was collected

We would like to keep record of those who continue to put up illegal signs despite their removal by the Sign Sweepers. In some cases we may ask for photos of the signs in their illegal locations. For more information, see training documents or contact the Sign Sweeper Coordinator, Public Information Coordinator Jason Brown at jabrown@cityofchesapeake.net.

Upcoming Sign Sweeper Training

Sign Sweeper training is now available online! Email Public Information Coordinator Jason Brown at jabrown@cityofchesapeake.net to request training materials. Once you receive the training materials, review them and return the signed agreement, and you'll receive your Sign Sweeper identification card via mail.