Surprise, AZ News blog

Signs

Dear Candidates: There have been several candidates with political sign questions, here is the policy from the Community Development Department that will be enforced by Code Enforcement Division.    

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, Sherry Ann Aguilar, City Clerk 

P.S. – All City numbers will be officially changing on Wed., July 18^th.  My direct line will be:  623-222-1220, but for now, my line is still 623-875-4214.  The City Hall main line will be:  623-222-1000. Chapter 14. Political Signs 

The City realizes that most sign violations are the result of ardent campaign supporters unfamiliar with the City’s sign ordinance; this is most evident along City roadways and vacant lots where political signs proliferate as an Election Day approaches.  It is the City’s policy to maintain the aesthetic quality of its rights-of-way and thoroughfares.  At the beginning of each campaign season the following enforcement strategies will be employed: A. Education. Code Enforcement staff will attempt to disseminate prepared information to political campaign workers to acquaint them with the laws before each year’s signs are posted (see Appendix, Item #14 for sample brochure). 

B. Sign Sweeps.  Sign sweeps will be conducted on a weekly or twice-weekly basis to maintain compliance with sign ordinance. C. Sign Clutter on Private Property.  Contact with campaigns will be done solely by letter via certified mail (see Appendix, Item #15 Political Sign Letter).  If no campaign address is available then e-mail messages with return receipt options may be employed.  All e-mails and responses must be documented and placed into a case file.  Campaigns shall be instructed to do the following: 1.  Produce a letter from the property owner giving permission to post the campaign’s political sign. 

2.  If no letter is produced in the prescribed timeline, the illegal campaign signs will be removed and stored as described in this section.   3.  Illegal signs will be removed forty-eight (48) hours after the campaign’s receipt of the certified letter. D. Compliance Timeline.  A forty-eight hour compliance window will commence three days after the mailing of a certified letter.  

E. Rights-of-Way, Sight Triangles, Hazardous Location.  Campaign signs found on public rights of way, sight triangles and in areas creating a hazard to pedestrians or traffic shall be immediately removed. F. Storage of Confiscated Signs.  Code Enforcement personnel shall make reasonable attempts to preserve confiscated signs. Campaign signs will be transported to the nearest maintenance facility and stored for 30 days before being discarded. 

Code Enforcement personnel shall make reasonable attempts to preserve confiscated signs. Campaign signs will be transported to the nearest maintenance facility and stored for 30 days before being discarded.  

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