Compton Municipal Code § 7-17 Political Literature

[Added by Ord. #1577, § 4705]

As used in this section:

POLITICAL SIGN OR POLITICAL PAMPHLET

Shall mean any sign or pamphlet which seeks to influence the action of the voters either for the passage or defeat of a measure appearing on the ballot at any national, state or local election, or which seeks to influence the action of the voters either for the election or defeat of a candidate for nomination or election to any public office at any national, state or local election.

[Added by Ord. #1577, § 4705.1; amended by Ord. #1871, § 1]

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this section, political signs, political literature and political advertising shall be permitted in the City subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this section.

[Added by Ord. #1577, § 4705.2; amended by Ord. #1871, § 2]

No person shall write, print, publish, post, sponsor or distribute any political circular, pamphlet, letter, poster or other matter relating to any political proposition, or to the candidacy of any candidate for public office, or which advocates any political matter, action, theory or system, or which contains a discussion of any public issue unless there appear in or upon such circular, pamphlet, letter, poster or publication the name of the person, or the name of the chairman and secretary or the names of at least two officers of the political or other organization issuing the same, or the name and residence, with the street and number thereof, of a voter of the state who shall be responsible therefor.

a. Display and Distribution. No political placard, poster, bumper sticker, political circular, pamphlet, photograph or other political material designed to attract attention to any political proposition or to the candidacy of any candidate for public office or which advocates any political matter, action, theory or system shall be displayed on any City building or property, upon a City vehicle, or upon any fixture or equipment owned, operated or leased by the City of Compton or the Compton Redevelopment Agency. Nor shall any person carry, distribute or place on tables or chairs or any other furniture or fixtures in any City building or property any political placard, poster, bumper sticker, political circular, pamphlet, photograph or other political material designed to attract attention to any political proposition or to the candidacy of any candidate for public office, or which advocates any political matter, action, theory or system.

[Added by Ord. #1577, § 4705.3]

Political signs which are displayed without prior approval of the Building Official or of the Council, as provided for in Subsection 7-17.2 of this section, shall be temporary, stationary and unlighted and shall not:

a. Be erected earlier than 75 days before the election to which they relate;

b. Be attached to any utility pole, fence, tree or other vegetation or upon any public right-of-way;

c. Be located any closer than 500 feet from any freeway right-of-way;

d. Be so situated that the face thereof can be viewed from any freeway right-of-way;

e. Be erected in such a manner that they will or reasonably may be expected to interfere with; obstruct, confuse or mislead traffic;

f. Be erected or placed at the intersection of any street, or within the segment created by drawing an imaginary line between points 50 feet back from where the curbline of the intersection quadrant intersect;

g. Be attached to any public structure, tree or improvement;

h. Be attached to any private structure, tree or improvement without the written consent of the owner or leaseholder; or

i. Be permitted to remain for general election purposes on behalf of an unsuccessful primary campaign candidate.

[Added by Ord. #1577, #4705.4; amended by Ord. #2141 § 2]

Political signs must:

a. Be removed within 72 hours after the election to which they relate or if the signs are not removed the City shall remove the signs and deduct the actual costs of removal from the deposit set forth in § 7-17.5d; and

b. Where consent to post on private property has been given, be the responsibility of the owners or leaseholders of the property upon which the signs are placed when not posted in accordance with the provisions of this section; and

c. Be deemed a public nuisance when not posted in accordance with the provisions of this section and, upon three days' written notice, may be removed by the Director of Public Works and stored in the City Corporation Yard and, if not retrieved within 15 days from the date of such removal, may be considered as abandoned and be disposed of by the City without any liability therefor to any person.

d. A mandatory refundable cleaning deposit in the amount of $500 shall be collected upon filing your nomination papers for signs being posted within the City for related election; and

e. Subsection 7-17.5a does not apply to primary nominating candidates involved in a general election until after said election is held.

[Added by Ord. #1577, § 4705.5]

The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following:

a. Signs political in nature which are inside buildings although visible from the exterior; and

b. Signs posted by persons or corporations duly licensed to erect and maintain outdoor advertising signs and billboards provided they are in a location and are of such character as is authorized or permitted under other provisions of this Code.

[Added by Ord. #1577, § 4705.6]

A violation of any provisions of this section shall be deemed the commission of a public nuisance and shall be abated as provided in Subsection 7-1.6a and b.