Tossing out that campaign sign? Here’s how you can instead donate it in Lexington
With Election Day over, you might be thinking of tossing that campaign yard sign in the trash – but hold on.
You can now donate your unwanted signs to the city of Lexington to reuse, though not by placing them in your recycling bin. That’s because your unwanted stakes and yard signs can damage the equipment at the recycling center.
To avoid that, Lexington’s Division of Environmental Services has partnered with businesses and organizations throughout the county for a yard sign and stake collection event, according to a recent release.
Where can I bring my political yard signs and stakes for recycling?
Environmental services said in a Tuesday release it will have collection bins at the following locations, starting Wednesday:
Crank & Boom Manchester: 1210 Manchester St., Sunday through Thursday from noon to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from noon to 11 p.m.
Crank & Boom Clays Mill: 3101 Clays Mill Road, Sunday through Thursday from noon to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from noon to 11 p.m.
Kre8Now: 305 Codell Drive, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Lyric Theater: 300 East 3rd St., Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pivot Brewing: 1400 Delaware Ave., Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon through 10 p.m.
Perspectives: 352 Longview Plaza, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visit Lex: 215 West Main Street, unit 75, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- West Sixth Brewing: 501 West 6th St., Sunday through Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight
- Wild Birds Unlimited: 152 North Locust Hill Drive, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Those who have a large number of signs to drop off can email livegreen@LexingtonKY.gov to arrange a special drop-off.
What are the stakes and signs repurposed for?
According to environmental services, the stakes are reused and the signs are repurposed for craft projects. Stakes that cannot be reused are recycled through the Lexington-Fayette County government’s metal recycling program.
About 1,700 signs were collected in 2020.
Angela Poe, a spokesperson for environmental services, wrote in an email “the most common use of the repurposed signs have been other signs.”
They’ve also been used for hand-painted “slow down” signs, inspired by the project that originated in Kenwick, Poe wrote.
“Art studios and schools will request them for various projects. We have used the (signs) to make panniers for bikes and just discussed figuring out how to do birdhouses. We’ve even had people use them to insulate chicken coops. Anyone is welcome to request them. We are happy to share them!” Poe wrote.
Environmental services will have collection bins at the following locations until Nov. 22.
What are the rules around displaying political signs?
According to Poe, not just political signs, but all yard signs need to be displayed only in the owner’s property.
“All yard signs should be displayed in the yard -- not in the utility strip between the sidewalk and street,” Poe told the Herald-Leader.
Poe cited a chapter of the local zoning ordinance related to signage, “Article 17 of the Zoning Ordinance Section 17-8g (No sign shall be placed in or project into the public or private street right-of-way, except as specifically permitted herein.)“
So if you’re political sign is in an area prohibited by that ordinance, it could be removed by code enforcement, according to Poe.
“Code Enforcement is the lead agency for removal of signs in the right of way. Political signs are a protected free speech issue on private property and cannot be regulated or ordered removed unless they are creating a public safety issue,” Poe wrote.
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This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 11:16 AM.