The City Council approved amendments to the ordinance regulating non-commercial signs (political, yard, and garage sale signs) at its meeting on July 21st. The Zoning and Planning Committee supported the proposal to remove the restrictions including time limitations, an aggregate limit on the square footage, and the size of each sign.
However, at the Full City Council meeting, Councilor Baker moved to reinstate the size limitation – keeping the size of allowed signs to 3 x 3. Debate ensued with Councilors expressing concerns about aesthetics and preventing billboard-sized signs and others questioning the rationale and arbitrary nature of the limitation. Councilor Laredo argued in favor of the limitation as reasonable – “imagine a political sign or statement you find abhorrent and your neighbor puts a 20 x 20 sign directly facing into your yard. Councilor Crossley expressed concern regarding how far we would regulate political speech making reference to peace flags but President Albright responded that flags were another issue they are dealing with. The Council vote on the amendment was 15 in favor (Baker, Danberg, Downs, Gentile, Greenberg, Grossman, Kalis, Laredo, Leary, Lipof, Markiewicz, Norton, Oliver, Wright, Albright), 8 opposed (Bowman, Crossley, Humphrey, Kelley, Krintzman, Lucas, Malakie, and Noel), and 1 absent (Ryan). The full ordinance amendment was then approved by a vote of 22-1 (Gentile) and 1 absent (Ryan). Watch the NewTV recording here (begins at about 34:24).
