Lawn Litter Law in city’s yard

Countless Queens residents who are sick and tired of unwanted advertising materials cluttering up their doorsteps got a big boost recently when Governor Eliot Spitzer signed the latest version of the “Lawn Litter Law” recently.
Now, it’s up to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council to spell out the details and they have 90 days to do it, starting from Monday January 28, the signing date.
The law says that in any city with a population of 1 million or more, posting a sign which says, “Do Not Place Unsolicited Advertising Materials On This Property,” opens violators to as much as a whopping $5,000 in fines per day.
State Senator Frank Padavan who authored the bill said, “This law is the solution to the incessant amount of leaflets, advertisements and fliers that litter our lawns and streets.”
Padavan also pointed out that the law was good for businesses which “will be able to effectively target interested and potential customers while saving money on unneeded and unwanted materials.”
Owners who live in up to three-family homes can choose to ban unsolicited materials. For larger buildings, owners have to consult with the tenants and allow a place for materials to be left, limiting the number to match the tenants who say they want them.
The signs have to be “in a conspicuous location,” a minimum of five inches by seven inches, and the letters have to be legible and “one inch in size.”
Padavan announced on Monday, February 4 that people in the 11th Senatorial District he represents could get free signs at his Bellerose office, located at 89-39 Gettysburg Street, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residents can also pick up a sign at Padavan’s Whitestone office located 150-26 14th Avenue, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mail and newspapers are exempt, including sample or promotional copies, including “sale or coupon newspapers and magazines containing more than a deminimus (trifling) amount of news that are published at least weekly.”
Any person whose name, telephone number or other identifying information is on materials left at two or more premises is presumed to be guilty of a violation, and subject to a minimum $250 fine.
The mayor can designate any agency to issue the violations, which will be administered by the Environmental Control Board. Notices can be served by certified mail. The money from fines goes into the city’s General Fund.
The bill, which was introduced in the Assembly by member Mark Weprin, refines a law signed by Spitzer last summer.