By Michelle Steinhebel, Lebanon Express writer | Posted: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 12:00 am
The Lebanon Police Department received at least two signage complaints last week related to the school board recall vote, resulting in signs from both camps having to be taken down.
On Thursday, LPD ordinance officer Kevin Buchheit took down three school board anti-recall signs in the downtown area that did not meet city ordinance requirements and a pro-recall sign on private property near Wal-Mart.
The owners of the signs can claim them at the Lebanon Police Department. Buchheit said the department would hold the signs until the school board recall election was over.
One of the three signs against the recall was found on the sidewalk in the 500 block of Park Street. The two others were grouped together on the sidewalk near the corner of Main and Ash streets.
"This wasn't a political matter at all," Buchheit said. "They were all just placed in the wrong spots."
Buchheit is the only ordinance officer and complaints are generally handled by him, although any LPD officer can enforce the ordinances. The police department addresses signs on a complaint-only basis.
"There are probably a lot of signs that are out there that are non-compliant, but we don't enforce them unless someone complains," Buchheit said.
The ordinances pertaining to signage is part of the city's land development code. Signs may not be posted in public rights of way, such as sidewalks or roadways without a permit. "In the downtown area, it's all the sidewalks. Generally in residential, it's the area between the sidewalk and the curb, which is generally city property," Buchheit explained.
Businesses in the downtown area may purchase a right-of-way permit to put up a sign, but there are some restrictions on those signs as well. Directional signs, such as detour or construction signs, are OK, as long as they are approved by the city.
Political signs and garage sale signs in the right of way or on placed on private property without the owner's consent may be confiscated. Signs on utility poles also are not allowed by the ordinance definition.
While having illegal signage is a citable offense, typically officers ask the owner to either comply with the laws or take the sign down. The penalty is a maximum of $500 each day for having a sign that does not comply with the ordinances.
"If somebody puts a sign up and they refuse to take it down they could be cited that day and we could cite them again the next day. But most people are smarter than that and would just take care of it," he said. Buchheit does not recall ever writing a ticket for improper signage, explaining "it's mostly an education thing on our end."
Buchheit said sign complaints do not generally spike around election time. "The most sign complaints we usually get are for garage sales posted on utility poles," he said.
Ordinances relating to signage can be found on the city's website at www.ci.lebanon.or.us/node/52, and by clicking on "LexisNexis." The rules relating to signage are in Title 17.