A campaign sign for The Dalles Mayor Steve Lawrence had to be removed Friday after being hung on a parklet in a public right-of way on Second Street. An employee of Zim’s Brau Haus said the banner was removed as soon as she learned that signs could only be posted on private property.
A campaign sign for The Dalles Mayor Steve Lawrence had to be removed Friday after being hung on a parklet in a public right-of way on Second Street. An employee of Zim’s Brau Haus said the banner was removed as soon as she learned that signs could only be posted on private property.
When Stephanie Rawlings, a server at Zim’s Brau Haus, hung a campaign banner for The Dalles Mayor Steve Lawrence on the east side of the outdoor parklet, she did not know that act was prohibited by the city’s sign code.
“We had no idea, we took it off as soon as we knew,” she said.
The parklet is rented by Zims from The Dalles Main Street for private use, which Rawlings thought made the space eligible for a sign.
The city’s land-use code requires that political campaign signs be posted only on private property and the parklet is located in a public right-of-way.
Lawrence said he was unaware of the action that Rawlings had taken.
“I honestly didn’t know about this,” he said. “And, as soon as I found out it was a problem, I asked to have it taken down.”
Lawrence violated the sign code in another incident earlier this month, which he said was also a mistake.
Although his campaign signs were not supposed to be erected until 60 days before the election, four of them were up days earlier.
“When I filed, Izetta (Grossman, city clerk) gave a copy of the rules to everybody but the incumbent,” said Lawrence.
He said the signs were taken down as soon as he was notified by city workers about the violation.
“I have no excuse, we’re all required to know,” he said.
Lawrence is running for a third two-year term in office and is being challenged by Susan Barr Harris and Solea Kabakov.
Dick Gassman, city planning director, said signs on private property in town cannot block the view of passing motorists.
Following the election, signs have to be taken down within five days.
Nick Kraemer, associate planner for the city, said investigations into potential violations of the sign code are complaint driven.
He said when a problem occurs, a letter is sent to the landowner that outlines the timeline to remedy the problem.
The city will remove signs posted on public property, although Kraemer said people are generally cooperative about moving them on their own.
“We really haven’t had much of a problem,” he said.
No signs, except officials traffic control devices, are allowed in the state highway right of way.
Improperly placed political signs will be removed with notice and held at a nearby Oregon Department of Transportation district maintenance office for 30 days.
Campaigns should contact 1-888-275-6368 to retrieve signs.
Signs are prohibited on trees, utility poles, fence posts and natural features within highway right of way. They are also prohibited within view of a designated scenic area within the city.
Temporary political signs are allowed on prvate property within view of state highways with the following restrictions:
• New signs are limited to 12 square feet.
• No flashing or intermittent lights, animated or moving parts are allowed.
• Signs must not imitate an officials highway sign or device.
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