HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - cover letter for ordinance •
City of AMES, Iowa
� 500
10
Public Safety Bldg.
5
(515) 232-6210
JOHN R. KLAUS
City Attorney
SANDRA M. ZENK
MARK W. F. LTrNDHOLM
Assistant City Attorneys
August 18 , 1981
Honorable F. Paul Goodland, Mayor
And Members of the City Council
Of The City of Ames, Iowa
In Re : An Ordinance to Revise Regulations Affecting
Political Campaign Signs
Dear Mayor Goodland and Council Members :
Some time back, in response to a request from Marcia Farrington,
the Council directed the legal department to prepare an ordinance
to clarify provisions of the city' s sign regulations with re-
spect to political campaign signs . At the present time Sec.
5 . 27 (2) of the Ames Municipal Code which relates to temporary
and portable signs does apply to common political campaign signs
and has the effect of restricting the time that they may be
displayed to fifteen days .
After discussing the matter with Marcia Farrington, it is
my suggestion that this subsection be amended by adding addi-
tional language thereto so as to exempt the political campaign sign
from the fifteen day limitation, but to impose a duty on the
person in possession and control of the property on which the
sign is displayed to remove the sign within five days following
the election to which it pertains .
I favor this approach because it avoids putting the City Council
in the position of placing any semblance of a prior restraint
on any form of expression, yet provides an effective measure
for the public ' s interest in reasonably curtailing the blight
and litter that might be associated with totally unrestricted
display of such devices .
Combining Education and Industry with Hospitality
-2-
The amendment as I propose it is satisfactory to Ms . Farrington.
The form of ordinance is enclosed herewith and will be on the
agenda of the meeting of August 25 for first consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
John R. Klaus
City Attorney
cc J. Elwell
G. Bicknese