§ 8175-5.13.10.17. Political signs.

The purpose of this section is to prevent damage to public property, protect the integrity of the electoral process, and prevent the erosion of aesthetic quality and historic values within the coastal zone. It is specifically recognized that if political signs on private property are not removed after the election is held, the deteriorating signs and accumulating debris become a blight, defacing the landscape and creating a public nuisance.

a.

Location. Political signs may not be affixed, installed, or erected within one hundred (100) feet of a polling place or historic site, nor within the right-of-way of any highway, nor within six hundred sixty (660) feet of the edge of a "Scenic Highway" or landscaped freeway, nor in any location where the sign will impair sight distance or create a hazard to traffic or pedestrians, nor on any telephone pole, lamppost, tree, wall, fence, bridge, bench, hydrant, curbstone, sidewalk or other structure in or upon any public right-of-way, nor upon any other public property.

b.

Political Signs on Private Property. No political sign face shall exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in sign area. The aggregate sign area of all temporary political signs placed or maintained on any lot in one (1) ownership shall not exceed ninety-six (96) square feet.

c.

Time Frames. Political signs shall not be posted sooner than ninety (90) days prior to a scheduled election administered by the County Elections Division. Said signs shall be removed within ten (10) days after the election.

d.

Enforcement. Any political sign not posted or timely removed in accordance with the provisions of this Article shall be deemed to be a public nuisance and shall be subject to removal by the candidate, property owner, or, when a ballot proposition is involved, the authorized agent of the group or organization sponsoring the sign or, upon their failure to do so after reasonable attempt at notice by the County, by County officers or zoning inspectors. Any political sign that is not removed within the specified period following an election shall be subject to summary removal and confiscation or disposal by the County at the expense of the responsible party.

(Ord. No. 4492, § 3, 6-21-2016)