Pueblog USa

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Signs of the Times

The City Fathers have been hammering out a new chapter to the zoning ordinance. The results seem to be ‘interesting’.

If you caught the public notice in the Chieftain today, you might have been intrigued by the mention of both traffic corridors and zoning. I know I was. So I went looking, in the City Clerks web-site, for additional information.

What I found wasn’t about traffic management issues. Rather, it was about signage. You know, words on surfaces to tell other people information you want them to know. Doesn’t matter whether it’s business or polticial or patriotic. It’s a sign. And this proposed addition to the Title XVII (Zoning) ordinance looks odd.

Here’s the web site for proposed ordinance.

What I found ‘interesting’ here was that Free Standing Signs were going to be prohibited in residential areas, according to the ordinance. This means that the signs on frames you stick in the ground, e.g., Save Historic Pueblo signs, would be outlawed; as far as I can tell, because they ARE ‘free standing’ and usually found on residential properties.

This would also seem to me to apply to any signs about houses for sale, as I didn’t see any mention of any exceptions to the rule. But maybe they consider those signs “commercial” and, as with the Kelo decision, what’s good for tax revenue is good for Pueblo; home owners be d——-.

I’m curious that, if my understanding is correct, it is a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Obviously political-oriented signs, supporting or opposing some candidate or proposed issue, are being suppressed on residential properties.

I would REALLY like it for the city “gun for hire”, i.e., attorney, would explain this all to me….short of getting testie with me in public hearings when I might not understand exactly what he’s trying to do/say. I’m no expert, but…I am a property-tax paying, voting citizen of this community. And I think I’m a reasonably prudent individual. My legitimate concerns should be allayed…if he can do such a thing. Preferably without his getting ‘upset’ as a tactic.