The large political signs that the Salem Code Enforcement Officer expressed concern that has led to resident Brock Waggoner’s challenge to the city’s sign code.
Salem City Manager Rex Barbee says the city will not be enforcing limitations on the size of political signs as long as they are on private property.
The announcement came following Monday night’s city council meeting where resident Brock Waggoner once again told the council the political sign limitations violated the First Amendment right to free speech.
“We are not currently enforcing the sign ordinance so it’s not impacting anyone at this particular point in time. But we will take it up with city attorney Mike Jones, get some opinion from him and take it up at the next city council meeting.”
Barbee said from the start the city hasn’t removed political signs from private property.
“The only signs that he has removed are actual signs in the state right of way and then a sign that someone was making a complaint on.”
Barbee says the one complaint was the result of a sign hanging in a window of a home that contained a vulgarity visible to students passing by on their way to school. He reports Code Enforcement Officer Dave Lusch also discussed two political signs too large to comply with the city’s sign code ordinance. Barbee says after the visit, the signs were voluntarily removed.
Waggoner told WJBD-WSIQ News Tuesday morning it was that situation that led to his initial complaints about the city’s limitation on sign size.
Barbee notes the incident occurred before the legality of the city’s sign code ordinance had been questioned.
Waggoner requested at Monday night’s meeting the issue be addressed again at the next meeting after the council failed to make a motion for any changes at its last meeting.