CITY SIGN CENSORS HIT EUCLID
The fence has long been used by youth sports teams, the Muckenthaler, the Farmers’ Market, local churches and cultural groups to publicize community events to passing motorists. Now they are being scolded with the “No Banners” warning.
As the fences are along a flood control channel, we suspected the County put the sign up. But according to a June 9 memo from OC Flood Control Director Nadeem Majaj, the fence is city-owned and the warning sign was installed by city staff.
Why? There is no record of this ever having been before the City Council. Is this a precursor to a banner ban at other similar locations? (Yorba Linda & State College, Gilbert & Malvern, etc.)
The council should order this sign removed. The “Do Not Post Banners on Fence” will continue to taunt motorists with the heavy hand of city government, denying community groups their long-held location for needed free publicity…. Until the council takes it down.
Although many of us value these corner fences for advertising community events, I have noticed a few times recently that businesses have used the fences for banners too. Just speculation, but it might be a problem for the city to let some people post banners and not others, so they may have just banned everyone from using the space.
I have also noticed that the standard implement used for attaching banners is the plastic zip tie. People may try to be careful when they cut them to remove their banners, but I see used zip ties all over the place near the fence and in the channel.
Matt, I think you’re on the right track. It may have something to do with the discussion of the Noncommercial Temporary Signs and Handbill regulations back in January. A city attorney said that allowing/removing signs based on content opens up the city to 1st amendment lawsuits.
Or perhaps someone thinks signs at that intersection is a safety issue…
I saw city workers pulling political signs off of that fence on election day last year.
Its not a safety issue as traffic does not need to see “through” the signs to view opposing traffic.
Jack, you’re right.
Maybe they don’t want any signs blocking our view of that lovely river? The sign should say “no swimming”.
fullerton city council’s long arm of the aesthetics police has choked out freedom of speech and free enterprise by banning blight signs on fullerton’s street corners. Now, I finally feel safe from ugly.