New York City – Litter on your lawn? Call a notary public.
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That’s what fedup homeowners may have to do if they want a new state law banning the dumping of menus, leaflets, handbills and circulars on their doorsteps and lawns enforced.
The law leaves enforcement to the Sanitation Department, which is planning to require complaints to be notarized.
“It’s such an onerous, burdensome imposition on homeowners that it would nullify the law,” said 84-year-old Kew Gardens, Queens, retiree Murray Berger, who supports the law.
“It is our belief that the rules deter, rather than facilitate, enforcement of the law,” said Councilman James Gennaro (D-Queens).
The so-called lawn litter law allows property owners to post signs prohibiting advertisers from leaving unwanted material on their property.
Passed in January, it carries a stiff fine of $250 for first offenses and up to $1,000 for repeat violations.
The enforcement procedure – being worked out by the Sanitation Department and expected within weeks – would also require that property owners:
• Post a sign no less than 5 by 7 inches with lettering at least 1 inch high that states: “Do Not Place Unsolicited Advertising Materials on This Property.”
• Obtain a complaint form through 311 or the Sanitation Department Web site.
• Fill out the form, have it notarized and mail it with a sample of the offending lawn litter to the Sanitation Department enforcement unit in Brooklyn.
• If necessary, be available to come in to testify before the Environmental Control Board.
Some fear homeowners will prefer the lawn litter.
Let the lawn litter testify for itself – upon request let the Environment Control Board make a site visit, and leave the evidence untouched until they get there. And let it be a complaint by the board against the publisher or deliverer provided they see a sign.
But why is a sign necessary? Why is the default without a sign that our courtyards are permissible places for dumping advertising? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? That anyone who wants the advertising should put up a delivery box like a mailbox?
Does that mean if I don’t see a sign that says I cannot dump cat litter somewhere I can rationalize that it can be allowed?
The problem [with the present setup] is, that when, and if the Sanitation dep’t [inspector] visits your property, [to see for themselves that you lawn has litter] they might end up ticketing YOU! (because you are an easy target). (Your property is always there. Your house can’t run away!)
Why is it that the town puts up no dumping and no littering signs all over thier property and clearly states the fine amount. However by a homeowner we know who is dumping it and they dont receive the fine when its actually proveable. ??Another question. If i come to your house and just dump flyers and junk all over your property i would assume you would hold the perperttaitor till the cops come and take him away . why cant you wait till these chaleras come by your house and hold the guy down till the cops come . That would make them think again before dumping again.
Trash [is] only (trash) if an inexplicable amount [of] words in any given sentence (contains) an unnecessary and [confusing] amount of brackets (and) parenthesis, [like I’m] apt to do.
This piece of news really made it into the “Strange But True” coloumn around the world.
Bloomberg: City politics can’t get stupid’er.
Grow up – pick up the flyer and put it in the garbage. You will not get city enforcement unless they can see a way to make lots of money —- parking meters, homeless throwing around garbage, a recycling system that looses money but makes money on fines etc.
The only thing the city is willing to clean out is your wallet
What a crazy law! To have it notorized?! Who was the meshigina that wrote this law?!! TIPSHIM!
It is a clever ploy. Make homeowners happy by passing the law and the junk distributors (who donate money to political campaigns) happy by making the law unenforceable.