@TFL1728 ungovernable https://t.co/wAsraVFdKz
— BlueRidgeJo (@BlueRidgeJo) December 3, 2024
from Boston.com,
Pelkey says he originally expected that he would be forced to take it down.
Vermont is one of the few states in the country with a ban on billboards, otherwise defined as “off-premise advertising signs.” And while Pelkey is clearly advertising his fury with local officials, his giant middle finger sculpture isn’t technically a sign for his business, according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
“Although the structure is visible from a state highway, it is outside of the State Right of Way and not within our jurisdiction,” Jacqui DeMen, a spokeswoman for the agency, told Boston.com in an email. “The structure does not meet the statutory definition of ‘sign’ and thus can’t be regulated under the Vermont Billboard Law.”
DeMent did additionally note that Vermont’s billboard law does allow municipalities to adopt local ordinances that are stricter than the state law. However, Westford officials reportedly looked into the town’s zoning regulations and came to the same conclusion as the state.
