This week Cannon Beach police have been delivering a letter to all businesses who have been putting political signs on their businesses to make sure the city’s sign code is being followed.
City administration also put the language up on their Website on Monday, Oct. 11, replacing the normal codes and ordinances that would be found online in that place.
“It is not new, it is a summary of items from the sign code that are most applicable to political signs although the regulations in the sign code are content neutral,” said City Manager Bruce St. Denis. “In fact, we deal with far more real estate and yard sale signs than those that are political in nature.”
Political signs are popping up all over town in yards and businesses, mostly due to the upcoming election where voters will decide whether or not to support a Prepared Food Tax in town, a measure on the ballot in the upcoming Nov. 2 election.
“All signs are treated equally in the sign code,” St. Denis said. ”We do not want the city to be over run with signs so we enforce the sign code all year round. There is nothing in the code that gives anyone a ‘pass’ during the political season.”
St. Denis said that there is a need to educate the community, because people on both sides of the tax issue were inquiring and the city had to react.
“This started with an inquiry regarding banners in residential area, which incidentally are not allowed,” St. Denis said. “It became clear that folks were not researching the sign code so we decided to publish something that was easier to follow than expecting folks to interpret all the provisions of the sign code.”
According to one business owner, the Police Chief was asked early on when showed the sign with ”Vote No” message people wanted to use and and was told he had no problem and it, St. Denis assured that the city is not asking for anyone to take down the message, they just want to follow the rules now that this issue is becoming more visible in the community.
“I assume that the chief was saying a “VOTE NO” sign of itself was not a violation,” St. Denis said. “We are content neutral, I don’t believe that it should be interpreted that we would do nothing if someone had 20 of those signs in their yard, that is what crosses the threshold to a sign code violation.”
St. Denis went on to say that the city is more involved in educating the public, now that more and more signs are being put up all over town. It’s not the fact that people oppose the council or the manager’s stance on the tax.
“The regulations apply to all signs period,” St. Denis said. “Doesn’t matter what side you are on.”
With the election getting closer, and more inquiries being asked at City Hall, St. Denis wanted to react to the fact that he believes more signs will begin to be put up.
“The real sign push has really not started yet, and the city’s need to let citizens know the rules as I said earlier started with an inquiry regarding whether banners are allowed in residential areas, incidentally, that answer is no,” he said.
St. Denis said that he hopes people will comply and right now he’s more interested in education over fines and penalties for those who may have not followed the rules unintentionally.
“There are (fines and penalties) but our primary effort is to make people aware of the code and to get compliance,” St. Denis added.
The Code reads as follows
Cannon Beach political signage is regulated by Cannon Beach Municipal Code 17.56 Signs. The City does not distinguish signs based on content; therefore, the following limits apply to all temporary signs: number of signs, size limits and placement of signs.
For commercial businesses, any political banner must be placed over previously approved permanent sign face area. In other words, if your business, Joe’s Hot Food, has a freestanding sign or a sign attached to a building, the banner must be placed over that sign face area and cannot exceed the area previously approved without being in violation of the sign ordinance.
One incidental or lawn sign is permitted per frontage for commercial businesses and cannot be placed in the right-of-way.
For residential areas, a lot shall have no more than two temporary and/or lawn signs and no temporary or lawn sign shall have an area of more than four square feet.
No banners are permitted in residential areas.
No signs are permitted in the right-of-way, which is the area that typically includes planter beds, sidewalks and street-side parking areas. Signs may not be attached to trees, utility poles, street or traffic signs and may be removed, without notice by the Cannon Beach Police Department if they do not comply with the regulations.
