Council campaign signs always create a stir
One harbinger of a contentious City Council election is the early positioning of campaign signs along well-traveled roadways, with this year’s contest for a majority stake of three seats on the governing body off to a fast start with signage appearing before Labor Day.
Yorba Lindans are of two minds on the biennial show of campaign clutter: some see the sign wars as an example of a vibrant democracy, while others decry the visual pollution all along the city’s expensively landscaped parkways.
The latter group also criticizes the environmental waste involved with the large number of signs, noting residents will see a dozen or more of the same signs for each candidate, while driving just half the length of Yorba Linda Boulevard or Imperial Highway.
Past elections have included charges of sign tampering, vandalism and outright theft, with a bit of the latter due to candidates sharing the names of popular performers or rock bands (former water board director Art Korn “lost” many signs to Korn fans in the 1990s).
But sadly, too many elections have involved supposedly grown-up supporters who can’t resist furtively removing opponents’ signs, with lawsuits threatened and police reports filed. In 2000, police caught one campaign manager “rearranging” an opponent’s sign.
The city regulates temporary signs on both public rights-of-way and on private property on the theory that such signage can “present a potential hazard to persons and property.”
For example, unlighted signs on private property can’t exceed 32 square feet in area, and freestanding signs can’t be higher than six feet, according to city zoning code rules, copies of which were given to the seven council candidates when they filed for the ballot.
The more ubiquitous signs on public property, mostly adjacent city streets, are subject to several rules, including an often-violated regulation forbidding signs attached to fences--“Signs shall be freestanding,” rules say.
Also, rights-of-way signs can’t exceed six square feet in area and four feet in height, as measured from the grade of land; must be identified with an owner’s name, address and telephone number; and must be removed within five days after the election.
Several specific rules apply to the location of signs, which can’t “overhang” any street, curb, sidewalk, trail or driveway, or be placed within 15 feet of fire hydrants, driveway edges or street intersections “as measured from the midpoint of the corner radius.”
Fortunately, candidates are provided an illustration of the latter rules, a diagram that shows the proper placement for rights-of-way signs. Forbidden locations include the street medians and sidewalk tree wells.
An aerial photo also shows an area on the slope side of the vacant city-owned parcel on the northeast corner of Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway allowed for signs.
Violations can be reported to the Community Development office at City Hall (code enforcement number is 714-961-7138). Owners must remove illegal signs within 72 hours of notification, with city staff also empowered to remove and store illegal signs.
Yorba Lindans are of two minds on the biennial show of campaign clutter: some see the sign wars as an example of a vibrant democracy, while others decry the visual pollution all along the city’s expensively landscaped parkways.
The latter group also criticizes the environmental waste involved with the large number of signs, noting residents will see a dozen or more of the same signs for each candidate, while driving just half the length of Yorba Linda Boulevard or Imperial Highway.
Past elections have included charges of sign tampering, vandalism and outright theft, with a bit of the latter due to candidates sharing the names of popular performers or rock bands (former water board director Art Korn “lost” many signs to Korn fans in the 1990s).
But sadly, too many elections have involved supposedly grown-up supporters who can’t resist furtively removing opponents’ signs, with lawsuits threatened and police reports filed. In 2000, police caught one campaign manager “rearranging” an opponent’s sign.
The city regulates temporary signs on both public rights-of-way and on private property on the theory that such signage can “present a potential hazard to persons and property.”
For example, unlighted signs on private property can’t exceed 32 square feet in area, and freestanding signs can’t be higher than six feet, according to city zoning code rules, copies of which were given to the seven council candidates when they filed for the ballot.
The more ubiquitous signs on public property, mostly adjacent city streets, are subject to several rules, including an often-violated regulation forbidding signs attached to fences--“Signs shall be freestanding,” rules say.
Also, rights-of-way signs can’t exceed six square feet in area and four feet in height, as measured from the grade of land; must be identified with an owner’s name, address and telephone number; and must be removed within five days after the election.
Several specific rules apply to the location of signs, which can’t “overhang” any street, curb, sidewalk, trail or driveway, or be placed within 15 feet of fire hydrants, driveway edges or street intersections “as measured from the midpoint of the corner radius.”
Fortunately, candidates are provided an illustration of the latter rules, a diagram that shows the proper placement for rights-of-way signs. Forbidden locations include the street medians and sidewalk tree wells.
An aerial photo also shows an area on the slope side of the vacant city-owned parcel on the northeast corner of Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway allowed for signs.
Violations can be reported to the Community Development office at City Hall (code enforcement number is 714-961-7138). Owners must remove illegal signs within 72 hours of notification, with city staff also empowered to remove and store illegal signs.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 AM
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