Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | midnight
A city rule change could mean campaign signs in residents' yards could be displayed a little more proudly — but not until December, nearly a month after the general election will be over.
The city's sign ordinance, passed in 2004, requires noncommercial signs, such as political posters, to be set back one foot behind property lines — effectively banning them on fences or walls around yards.
The City Council introduced a bill Oct. 28 to repeal that part of the ordinance, which has no legal basis, according to city staff.
The council is scheduled to debate the matter Nov. 12. If the ordinance change passes, it would go into effect 20 days after being published, on Dec. 3.
Councilwoman Andrea Anderson said she expects the council to pass the ordinance change at its next meeting. The foot setback is not necessary, she said.
During election season, the city gets complaints about political signs, said Brok Armantrout, community development director.
Residents are largely unaware of the sign ordinance's setback rule, Armantrout said, so most resident complaints are about signs on city property or in public rights of way.
Cyril Murphy's, whose back wall faces Adams Boulevard, follows the rule by coincidence. He has an Obama poster in his front yard on Montera Lane and Dina Titus posters in his yard and in his front window.
He said he'd thought of putting an Obama poster on the outside of his back wall for traffic along Adams, a busier street, but couldn't find one big enough.
During the last City Council election, he had put posters on the wall facing Adams and hadn't been told to take them down, he said.
Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].
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