Campaign-sign limits proposed

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 11:18 a.m.

When municipal election time rolls around in North Las Vegas next year, campaign signs may be popping up later and disappearing quicker under a proposed ordinance.

Already signs for the September primary elections are springing up throughout Clark County.

In North Las Vegas alone, signs near City Hall proclaim: "Elect Mike Schaeffer, Justice of the Peace," and "PIKE for North Las Vegas Justice Court."

It's exactly the thing North Las Vegas officials hope to curb, they say.

The Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a change to the election sign ordinance that would take a tougher approach than the county or city of Las Vegas.

North Las Vegas City Attorney Sean McGowan said the purpose of the ordinance is "to preserve the aesthetics of the city and to have less visual blight."

Under the proposed ordinance, off-premises campaign signs in North Las Vegas can be installed only 45 days before an election. Under the current ordinance, signs can be installed at any time, the same as in the county and Las Vegas.

The proposed amendment also would require signs to be removed within five days of a final election, rather than the current 15 days allowed in North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and the county.

Dean Nassey of the county public response code enforcement department said such an ordinance would be difficult to pass in the county.

"We tried to get the same thing passed, but there is a lot of opposition, whether it infringes on constitutional rights," Nassey said.

The North Las Vegas ordinance also would charge $25 per candidate for sign permits to pay for monitoring and removing all unclaimed signs following the election.

The sign permits also will help the code enforcement division identify the name and information about candidates who post signs so they can get damaged signs repaired, and to contact those who fail to remove signs.

Planning Commission Chairman Tom Lisiewski told the staff at the meeting that he wants to make sure code enforcement would "zealously monitor" the removal of signs.