Politics: Lets get real about yard signs
One year ago, before the campaigns heated up, one could drive down any major thoroughfare and conclude the City of Peoria has absolutely no rule or regulation regarding signs in the right of way.
This is NOT a problem that crops up in the weeks before elections. This is a constant problem. It’s not just signs for yard sales, or “for sale” signs. Commercial businesses think nothing of littering the city’s right-of-way with their ugly signs.
It appears the city is going to enforce the law, now that the violators include candidates for office. It won’t stop until the city decides to issue tickets to violators, and frankly I’m not sure the city has the power to do that.
Feh.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
You are so right, Billy. When you first brought this up a few weeks ago, I drove from my home to my office and started counting temporary signs (excluding political signs) in the right-of-way. I stopped at 50 and wasn’t even half way there. I’m pretty sure even the Peoria Park District uses the right-of-way. Anyhow, I think its great they want to enforce the sign ordinance… but its got to be all or nothing.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
If you have a sibling or are a parent, you may recall this familiar scenario. One kid pinches the other kid and an exasperated parent steps in with THAT’S IT both of you, go to your room!!! Every election cycle at about this point when sign wars comes to a head and all tolerant and available property is taken, the dismantling begins. One campaign or a cranky surrogate calls the city to complain about sign violations. The city, not wanting to be accused of bias toward one sends both campaigns a list of signs in violation with an order to remove them. Hence hundreds of dollars in yard signs are moved to meet the requirements of the law. I’m not sure if anyone actually ends up getting fined over this. None the less, it’s entertaining
October 7th, 2008 at 9:57 am
I’m curious as to whether or not this will truly be enforced. We have enough budget problems going on and council members squabbling, etc. that I’m not sure if the city will truly spend the money to send people out to actually retrieve ALL the signs. That’s an awful lot of signs to pick up, store, and get rid of. I’m glad for the initiative, but much like the signage at college campuses (BU even has regulations as to where and where not to post), there is no personnel to really uphold the rules.
Maybe Babs can get those pesky “fake” Bradley cops to do it in the 2nd District?!?!?
October 8th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Yeah…..the GOP signs out in major rights of way are too exposed for the ‘Crat brownshirt commandos to try and deface like is happening all over America.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:16 am
The City does issue fines for signs in the right away. Or at least they used to.