There is a little known ordinance out there in the city of Sammamish that most of us are unaware of. In fact, you would not know about it until it affects you. The ordinance states that local realtors are not allowed to put out directional signs.

If you have a home on a major street, this is not of concern to you. Your “For Sale” sign is visible to the majority driving by.

However, if you look at a map of Sammamish 80 to 90 percent of homes are off major streets.

In fact the city has stated they are opposed to dead ends and cul de sacs but that is what most of this city is made up of.

If your home is for sale in a subdivision, down a rarely driven road, in a cul de sac, or on any street other then one of the major streets, you are not allowed to give prospective buyers an opportunity to see that your home is for sale. In other words, a prospective buyer would have to drive up and down streets to find homes for sale.

This creates the exact opposite goal of the city, which is to reduce miles driven.

Homes on private roads however are allowed to place directional signs at the end of their roads.

I cannot help but wonder how many people there are in Sammamish in a financial crisis, who now find themselves in a “short sale” because they were not allowed to put directional signs out.

The City of Sammamish needs home sales excise tax (REET) to use as revenue for capital projects, and therefore by not aiding homeowners with sales, the city is in fact causing their own financial downturn.

This may not affect you now, but it may in the future in one way or another.

Either you will have trouble selling your home or your taxes will go up because the city is not getting the tax from the sales of homes. This election make your voice heard so that changes to absurd policies can be made.

Lori Barnett

Sammamish