2004-10-11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1937 October 11,2004 earlier. Raymond Reckamp, 7100 Kingsbury Boulevard, espouses freedom of political speech but supports the existing City ordinance as "a good compromise." Some issues are deficient in not indicating how law will be administered, but many citizens are ignorant of the law, including candidates and their workers. There is a need to educate citizens and the candidates and to create a mechanism for administration of this ordinance. Confiscation of signs by City officials is not appropriate. Ms. Brungardt thanked citizens for speaking on this issue. She said difficulty in managing signage in a municipality of this size should fall upon the shoulders of the candidates. Candidates should take responsibility for placement of signs and for the work undertaken by their respective workers. She mentioned a letter she had received from a citizen who described herself as "threatened by University City staff' over the placement of a sign on Amendment 2. Ms. Brungardt is opposed to citizens feeling they are being harassed for speaking freely over issues and for feeling their civil liberties are threatened. She hopes the City will respond to threats in an appropriate and decisive fashion. Ms. Welsch thanked Councilmember Brot for taking the lead on this matter. She hopes language can be clarified, especially in respect of lot sizes, limitations on signs, and the length of time for displaying signs with consistent reinforcement of a revised ordinance. Ms. Brot thanked citizens who took the time to share their ideas and experiences on this matter with the City Council. She mentioned a series of changes she would like to see introduced and reinforced: 1) change of the ordinance, 2) rules published in City Scape, 3) additional promulgation and administration of the Sunshine Law, 4) consideration by the Planning Commission as to an equitable and consistent procedure to inform residents and candidates planning to display political signs in their yards, 5) implementing and informing citizens about a policy of appeal when political signs are removed. She looks forward to the Planning Commission working on these issues after the November election is over. Mayor Adams suggested that proposed changes be prepared and sent to the Planning Commission. He also admonished the Council to consider the rights of those citizens who do not favor political signage being displayed. He understands how people react to the loss of political signs due to removal but asked that people remember the removal is not entirely left to the City, but can result from the County of St. Louis and the State of Missouri removing them from public areas. Mayor Adams declared the Public Hearing closed at 8:50 p.m. A,qenda Item #5 - Ruth Park Golf Course Master Plan Adoption Page 7