Agenda - Public Works Committee - 02/18/2003

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DISCUSSION ON CAMPAIN SIGN PLACEMENT ISSUES By: Dean Kapler, Public Works Director PW CASE # Background: In the summer of 1999, during a special election, staff was given direction on dealing with illegally placed campaign signs throughout the city of Ramsey. This informal direction included: -Only reacting to complaints, staff was not to survey the city for illegally placed signs. -Once a complaint was received, staff was to contact the party and notify them of the illegally placed sign. -Once notified, a 48-hour time period was allowed for the party to remove the sign. -If the sign was not removed in 48 hours, staff was to remove the sign and notify the party of where to pick up the sign. During the 2002 elections, staff again dealt with signs located in prohibited locations. Most of the occurrences were resolved immediately, some were not. Under the current informal direction, staff is very limited to what can be done to deal with the illegally placed signs. The State of Minnesota and the City of Ramsey have laws and regulations that specifically deal with placement of signs (these are attached): The city of Ramsey's Chapter 9.12.03 Subd. 5 a) states "No sign other than governmental signs shall be erected or temporarily placed within any street or public right-of-way or upon any public easement." Minnesota Statues, section 160.27 also states that state law prohibits the placement, painting, printing, or affixing of advertisements on any object within the limits of any highway in Minnesota. This prohibition applies to political campaign signs as well as to all other forms of advertising. The law applies to all state, county, city and township roads and highways. It should be noted that Anoka County refers to state statute when dealing with illegally placed campaign signs.