◼ Minutes of the Fortuna City Council Regular Meeting Monday, February 3, 2014 - 6:00 p.m., Fortuna City Hall ITEM VII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Pro Tem Losey asked again for the political sign extension to be placed on the agenda. Staff informed him it was being researched and will be put on a future agenda.◼ REGULAR MEETING AGENDA Fortuna City Council Monday, March 3, 2014 ITEM V. D. Adopt Urgency Ordinance 2014-706, Suspending Section 17.05.180(D)(1)(b) of the Fortuna Municipal Code for a period of six months.
◼ RELATED: Candidate Guide: Campaign Signs
Staying on top of the various sign regs throughout the county isn't tough, but it can be an annoyance... inevitably a candidate gets in 'trouble' for the wrong-sized sign in the wrong place. Usually it's because a supporter takes a sign home and puts it on their building or in their yard in an area that doesn't allow 4x8 signs, or something along those lines. It just gives the various camps another lance to joust their target off his (or her) horse, in the end, they have no teeth.
And having different sizes in different areas complicates the sign buys.
We've come a long way since the days when people painted, stenciled or silkscreened their own signs. For one thing, the price of plywood skyrocketed. And paper signs don't hold up in our wet climate. So, candidates have largely turned to the corroplast signs, they look professional, they hold up in the weather, and you can order them in quantity. And quantity discounts matter. Varying requirements really mess with your budget - City Council members may know, having had to run for office themselves, but they wouldn't have been affected in the same way someone running in a county-wide race is.
Not sure what prompted this, but I'd hope Mayor Pro Tem Losey ought to consider proposing elimination of the silly regs altogether. Or, that there be some adherence to a county wide set of regs, that ALL the various cities sign on to (no pun intended).
This is good news for ALL candidates, I am in favor!
Thoughts?
At second glance, it isn't clear what is being waived, exactly. Is it the entire ordinance, meaning no rules? Or is it specific to the time allowed - as Max pointed out in the comments, it looks like they recognize that 30 day restriction is not reasonable as absentees go out about 30 days ahead of the election, and it is reasonable to say candidates should be able to put up their signs 30 days in advance of the absentees going out - and recognizing that there isn't time for a full on discussion and action, this makes the exception immediate, and they can hash out a complete rewrite later... is that the way you read this? CLICK IMAGES TO EMBIGGEN: (or go to pages 69, 70, 71 and 72 of the March 3 link above. These are jegs, there are nice pdfs at the link.)
UPDATE: AN EXPLANATION FROM MIKE LOSEY (Thanks for the explanation)
Ok so here's the skinny. I realized that the ordinance was drafted years ago, before most voters began voting absentee. The thirty days before the election is not long enough for ANY candidate to display their signs, so I asked several meetings ago to place this on the agenda which was agreed upon by a consensus of the Council. After review of the sign ordinance, our City Attorney advised that there are many issues with our ordinance and if a candidate wished to make an issue we could have a huge problem in a court of law. His recommendation is to suspend that sign ordinance under the urgency ordinance. We had only three members of the council at the last meeting and to adopt an urgency ordinance we must have a four/fifths majority. It will be on our (City of Fortuna's) next agenda.
I initially read this the same. However, upon reading the proposal again, Mr. Losey wants to suspend that section of the ordinance for six months. That section of the ordinance provides an exception to the normal permitting process. That means that for 6 months you must go through the City's sign permitting process to put up a campaign sign. I have placed a call to the city. This leads to many many questions about intent and the real agenda behind this move.
ReplyDeleteNo more signs please
ReplyDeleteThose are the signs of a healthy democracy! Treasure the fact that you get to see them.
ReplyDeleteAnd consider one alternative, flyers on car windshields. I'll take these signs sprouting up any day.
Making it MORE difficult to put up signs? That makes even less sense.
ReplyDeleteHere's the ordinance:
City of Fortuna
Chapter 17.51 Citywide Regulations
17.51.60 Signs.
A. General Provisions. The purpose of this section is to establish standards to regulate the height, size, location and appearance of signs, in order to safeguard and enhance property values; to protect public and private investment in buildings and open spaces; to preserve and improve the appearance of the city as a place in which to live and work and as an attraction to nonresidents who come to visit or trade; to encourage sound signing practices as an aid to business and for the information of the public; to prevent excessive and confusing sign displays; to reduce hazards to motorists and pedestrians; and to promote the public health, safety and welfare of the city.
D. Permitted Signs 1. Signs Not Requiring a Sign Permit. The following signs do not require a permit:
a. Real Estate Sign
b. Political. One political campaign sign on private property not exceeding four square feet in area or four feet in height. These signs shall be removed within 10 days following the election. Such signs shall not be erected prior to 30 days before the election.
H:\FORMS & MASTERS\CANDIDATE PAPERS\City of Fortuna pol signs.doc
Mike Losey? Care to explain?
ReplyDeleteRead City Attorney David Tranberg's memo to the mayor and council of 3/4/14. I think they're trying to expand the time period for political sign display, but it' s kind of a clumsy way of doing it.
DeleteOr, I could be totally wrong. I haven't asked Losey or anyone else about it.
Thanks, Max - that sounds like a good thing!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I still would like to see all the townships get on the same page. The signs really aren't up that long that they're a problem.
So only Losey, Sue Long, and Maggie even know what this is trying to accomplish. Sorry Rose. Not a "good thing". Insider trading, lack of transparency, and manipulating the ordinance while trying to catch your constituents and opponents unaware can't be a "good thing". "Unethical" would be a better description.
ReplyDeleteMy comments are mine alone.
I've skimmed Tranberg's attachment. It seems like they recognize that 30 day restriction is not reasonable as absentees go out about 30 days ahead of the election, and candidates ought to be able to put their signs up several weeks ahead of that absentee date, if not a full 30 days ahead.
ReplyDeleteI see your point, John.
It will be good to have Losey explain what is going on.
How about 1 big sign that reminds everyone to vote. Less lose all the individual campaign signs.
ReplyDeleteOk so here's the skinny. I realized that the ordinance was drafted years ago, before most voters began voting absentee. The thirty days before the election is not long enough for ANY candidate to display their signs, so I asked several meetings ago to place this on the agenda which was agreed upon by a consensus of the Council. After review of the sign ordinance, our City Attorney advised that there are many issues with our ordinance and if a candidate wished to make an issue we could have a huge problem in a court of law. His recommendation is to suspend that sign ordinance under the urgency ordinance. We had only three members of the council at the last meeting and to adopt an urgency ordinance we must have a four/fifths majority. It will be on our next agenda. Sorry to disprove your implications JC, but it is very much in the best interest of the citizens of Fortuna, regardless of what you and your candidate would like to make this look like!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to bump your explanation up into the main post.
ReplyDeleteOK Mike. It looks like what it looks like to anyone who reads. Your proposal does not do what you say it will, which obviously lends to suspicion, but I will take you at your word, for now.
ReplyDeletePlease explain-
Eliminate the sign exception, and you force us all to get permits either as a permanent sign or a temporary sign for no more that 14 days. Although it is not explicit, it seems we'd have to have a different permit for each sign.
If what you state above was truly your intention, I fear you have misunderstood the law.
Please review soon and let ALL candidates know. The difference between what you state and the actual changes to the law you wish to adopt will have a huge impact on the candidates.
PS: I will be down to apply for sign permits Monday morning, since my call was not returned today.
ReplyDeleteSorry JC, I just read your post, been very busy! If you come to Fortuna ask city staff what it will mean to have the urgency ordinance take effect. It should do as I expected which is place the sign ordinance in abeyance or on the shelf until the issue can be reviewed by our City Attorney. In effect no sign ordinance. We will see.
ReplyDelete