Political Sign Will Get Warning, Not Removal

People who violate the political signs ordinance in Greendale will soon receive a 72-hour written notice before enforcement, as opposed to before when Village staff would immediately remove the signs without notice.

The Village Board referred the matter to the Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee at Tuesday’s board meeting.

The resident contacted local conservative radio talk show host Mark Belling about the situation saying that the Village was politically motivated to remove the signs. The Village released a statement stating that the sign in question was in violation of the ordinance because it was on village property adjacent to the man's back yard.

The village decided to review the ordinance after residents asked that village workers ask homeowners to move their signs instead of just removing them.

The review of the ordinance was done by Village Manager Todd Michaels, Village Attorney James Burns, Director of Inspection Services Scott Satula, Attorney Patrick Nolan of Quarles and Brady, Attorney Edward Hannan of Hannan and Associates, and a Greendale resident.

Hannan, also a Greendale resident, thanked the Village for adequately addressing the residents’ concerns.  

Here are the rules:

• Political signs are prohibited on public property.
• No political signs shall be posted on or immediately adjacent to any highways, streets, sidewalks, public grounds, parks, school property, or any other public property or on any trees, streetlamps, utility poles or traffic signs in the Village, except that on any election day, two political signs for each candidate or referendum question may be allowed at or near each polling place in the Village.

Private property

• There shall not be more than one political sign per candidate on any one lot at one time.
• The political sign shall not be erected prior to the beginning of the first day for circulation of nomination papers and shall be removed on the day of the election.
• Political signs shall not be illuminated or decorated with flags, bunting or other material and devices used for display or advertising purposes.
• A political sign not exceeding 13 square feet in area appertaining to candidates for public office may be located on private property as provided herein.
• If a violation occurs, the Director of Inspection Services shall give written notice of such violation to the owner or lessee of the sign. If the owner or lessee of the sign fails to remove or alter the sign so as to comply with all provisions set forth in this Section within 72 hours following receipt of said notice such owner or lessee may be prosecuted.