According to city records, $3,959.50 has been spent between August 1 and October 10, covering 65 employee hours and equipment costs for the removal of campaign signs. These signs, belonging to candidates, along with Proposition and Bond Measure signs, were erected illegally in the public right of way. Some were removed from the same location repeatedly as they were put back up, directly impacting the taxpayers.
Candidates running for city council are provided with regulations regarding the placement of political signs, as outlined in the Fullerton Municipal Code Chapter 15-49 (see below or read full code by clicking here). Some campaigns have violated these regulations to varying extents placing signs high above sidewalks and on public fencing, including park, city, and county areas. Despite repeated notifications and even after the Public Works Department removed the signs, the same violations persisted. This pattern of disregard for the law is evident in the swift reappearance of signs in the same location.
Places considered public property are the median, the area between opposing lanes of traffic, while the parkway is the portion of a public street right-of-way between the curb and sidewalk. When the Public Works Department identifies these violations, they promptly remove the signs. The department has the authority to remove signs that do not meet City and/or State criteria or pose a safety hazard, as well as signs placed in the public right-of-way, such as over sidewalks.
This irresponsible behavior has wasted the department’s time, funded by taxpayers through the city budget. Nonetheless, these candidates must be held accountable for blatantly disregarding the rules. Their inability to follow the rules demonstrates their lack of responsibility to the people of Fullerton.
If you see signs on public land, report them to Code Enforcement at 714-773-5704 and Public Works Dept. at 714-738-6897
15.49.040. Signs on public property.
A. Except as otherwise authorized by the City Council or applicable laws, no person shall place, erect, construct or relocate any sign or other similar device on public buildings or public property, or on, over or across any public street, sidewalk, crosswalk, curb, or upon any tree, or power, telephone or telegraph pole, or upon any fire alarm fixture, police telephone, street lighting installation or parking meter. The Director of Maintenance Services may summarily remove any sign in violation of the provisions of this section.
B. Notwithstanding the foregoing, those signs proposed on or over public rights-of-way within the Central Business District that meet all requirements of the Fullerton Central Business District Design Guidelines as adopted by the City Council, are permitted in accordance with the provisions thereof.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
15.49.050. Signs prohibited or conditionally approved.
A. The following signs shall be prohibited:
1. Any sign that confuses traffic such as any advertising sign visible from any street that makes use of the words “STOP,” “GO,” “LOOK,” “DANGER,” and any sign that may momentarily or otherwise blind or substantially impair the vision of an operator of a motor vehicle upon any street or otherwise constitutes a traffic hazard.
2. Any off-site advertising, including a billboard, or Mobile Billboard, except as provided herein for an off-site directional sign or a Freeway-Oriented Electronic Billboard pursuant to Section 15.49.120.
4. A portable sign on any property, except A-frame signs within the Central Business District. A-frame signs located within the Central Business District shall conform to adopted design criteria and shall be permitted by a special sign encroachment permit.
5. Any inflatable device and sign designed to be flown, including balloons, strings of balloons, kites, and aerial signs.
B. A flashing sign shall be prohibited unless approved by a Conditional Use Permit pursuant to
Chapter 15.70 of this title.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
15.49.060. Sign permit required.
A. Signs that require a permit:
1. No sign or sign structure, as defined in this chapter and not exempt there from, shall be erected, constructed or relocated unless a sign permit has been issued by the Director of Community and Economic Development, except that the following types of signs do not require a sign permit:
a. A temporary sign intended to be displayed for a short period of time not to exceed 30 days in any six-month period that otherwise conforms to the provisions of this chapter.
b. A sign painted on a wall, window or door of buildings.
c. A change of copy to an existing sign structure already installed or erected.
d. An on-site directional sign under six feet in height.
e. A real estate for sale or lease sign.
f. An election/campaign sign.
2. The installation, hanging or any placement of a banner, streamers or pennants on property, other than inside of a building, shall require the issuance of a sign permit.
B. Issuance and expiration of sign permit:
1. A fee shall be charged for the issuance of a sign permit as established by City Council resolution.
2. It shall be the duty of the Director of Community and Economic Development or their designated representative, upon the filing of an application for a sign permit, to review the application, such plans, specifications and other information furnished by the applicant. If the applicant has complied with all of the provisions of this chapter and the proposed sign and sign structure are in compliance with all of the regulations, a sign permit shall be issued to the applicant.
3. If no construction, erection, installation, or relocation of the sign authorized by the permit has commenced within six months from the date of the issuance of the sign permit, the permit shall expire. This limitation shall be stated on the sign permit.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
15.49.070. Permission of property owner.
A. No sign permit shall be issued for the construction, erection, installation or relocation of any pole or monument sign unless the owner of the property makes the request or unless written consent of the property owner is documented.
B. A sign permit that is issued for a sign and/or a sign structure shall allow the Director of Community and Economic Development or an authorized agent to enter upon such property at all reasonable times for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
15.49.080. Design and placement of sign structures.
1. All sign structures shall be designed using working stresses and loading as specified in the latest edition of the Uniform Building Code, except that design wind loading shall be not less than 20 pounds per square foot.
2. A factor of safety of two against over-turning shall be used for a sign that is designed to be stabilized by the dead load of the sign or of its attachments.
3. Sufficient clearances shall be maintained between a sign structure and an adjacent building to accommodate maximum design deflections, unless the sign is attached to the building structure. No building shall be used for the support or anchorage of a sign, unless the building is designed and constructed to support the additional load.
4. The plans and specifications for a sign structure containing a surface area in excess of 50 square feet projected on a vertical plane shall be prepared and certified to contain all required safety features by an engineer or architect, and such a structure shall be installed by a contractor, all licensed with the State of California.
5. A sign having in connection therewith any electrical wiring shall be designed and inspected in conformance with the provisions of the Fullerton Electrical Code (
Chapter 14.15). Each such sign shall have firmly affixed thereon a nameplate that shall state the manufacturer’s name or trademark, the voltage, amperage and total wattage, and each such sign shall display the Underwriters’ Laboratory label.
1. No portion of a sign or its supporting structure shall obstruct any fire escape, stairway or standpipe, exterior door or required exit, and no sign or its supporting structure shall be attached to or supported by any fire escape.
2. No portion of any sign or its supporting structure shall interfere with or obstruct any emergency exit or any legally required light and ventilation.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
15.49.090. Maintenance of signs and sign structures.
A. All signs and sign structures shall be kept free of any material including unauthorized election/campaign signs and other signs not approved by the original or subsequent permits.
B. The area beneath and about the base of all signs and sign structures shall be kept free of all weeds, rubbish, and inflammable waste material by the owner of the sign and sign structure.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
15.49.100. Removal of signs and sign structures.
A. The Director of Community and Economic Development shall remove, or cause to be removed, any sign, including the sign structure, that advertises a business conducted, or a product or service obtainable on the premises upon which the sign is located, within 90 days after such business is closed or terminated, or the products or services are no longer obtainable on such premises.
B. To cause a sign to be removed, the Director of Community and Economic Development shall send a written notice ordering that the sign and sign structure be removed within 90 days. An additional notice shall be sent within 30 days of the removal date.
C. The order of removal may be appealed to the City Council when so filed with the City Clerk. The City Council shall, at an advertised public hearing, receive any evidence offered pertaining to the request for an order of removal and shall make findings of fact of its determinations, decisions and order.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
A sign or sign structure that is found to be in violation of this chapter is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and as such shall be subject to the provisions of
Chapter 6.01 of the Fullerton Municipal Code.
(Ord. 3287 (part), 2020; Ord. 2982, 2001)
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Oh like that’s not biased!! You point out Dunlap, Jung and Valencia but not Jaramillo signs that are Edison poles!! I saw QuirkSilva signs taped super high along w propositions signs on poles!
Thee Jeff,
Take a picture and send it in. Remember tampering with political signs is against the law.
Valencia, Jung, Dunlap, and Measure L & N signs – according to city records from August to October 10 were taken down repeatedly from the same locations. Worth pointing out that politicians are breaking the sign rules and placing them on city property where they aren’t supposed to be and costing the city money. Since October 10 – I have also seen a few other candidates put up signs. Don’t understand why they can’t follow the rules.
If you have seen other candidates put up signs, why didn’t you mention their name in the article? Seems unfair. Also, where did you get the total of $4000? is there proof this amount is correct? what are the sources you found this amount on?
……….
Editor Response:
Hi Jeff – the info came from a public records request and covered signs taken down from August to October 10th. According to records no other signs were in the public right of way. Since that accounting more signs from various candidates have been seen in public right of way – including from those already notified- reinstalled. This is against the sign ordinance and costs the city money to remove.