P&Z Formally Drops Proposal To Regulate Political Signs

By Andrew Gorosko

Following discussion at a September 2 public hearing, Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members dropped their earlier proposal to regulate the posting of political advertising signs for the annual November elections.

The political sign regulation proposal had been a P&Z initiative intended to limit the “visual clutter” created by such displays.

The P&Z’s decision not to pursue zoning regulations to control political signs follows members’ review of various legal case law, which has upheld citizens’ right to display such signs as a form of freedom of speech as protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

The proposed zoning regulations would have pertained to political advertising signs on private property, such as signs posted in residents’ front yards.

The posting of such advertising signs on public property is prohibited by the zoning rules.

P&Z Chairman Lilla Dean said that although there will be no local zoning rules in effect concerning the placement of political advertising signs on private property, she hopes that residents show restraint in posting such signs.

In the past, political campaign advertising signs were largely absent from Newtown, as the two major political parties informally agreed to abstain from posting such advertising. With the emergence of new political organizations, however, signs advertising candidates of all parties have become part of the local landscape during the fall election season.

In some nearby towns, there is a profusion of political signs in residents’ yards during the fall election season, Ms Dean noted, adding that those sign postings make those areas “look like trash.”

Ms Dean, a Democrat, said she does not expect that the heavy use of political signage actually encourages anyone to vote for any given candidates.

If the P&Z were to approve zoning regulations to control political sign postings, it would not have a sound legal basis for doing so, Ms Dean said.

Ms Dean added she hopes that Newtown does not experience the proliferation of political signage that Bethel sees during the political campaign season.

Bruce Walczak, chairman of the Independent Party of Newtown (IPN), told P&Z members that IPN supporters should remove political advertising signs from their properties right after the November elections.

Mr Walczak thanked P&Z members for their exploration of the political sign issue, which resulted in their realization that such signs on private property would not become subject to zoning control.

After recently learning that the P&Z was studying the political sign issue, Mr Walczak submitted to the P&Z a set of legal decisions that upheld such sign postings as an expression of citizens’ First Amendment rights.

P&Z member Dennis Bloom, who is the Republican town chairman, said he favors the use of political advertising signs, but dislikes the posting of such signs near school buildings where votes are cast at polling places.

Mr Bloom said he does not object to residents posting political signs in their yards.

Mr Walczak said that IPN members are aware of the issues at hand concerning political signage.

“We’re anxious to follow the rules, and to be as sensitive to the quality of life in Newtown as possible,” he said.

Mr Walczak asked that the town not selectively enforce its sign regulations, and not focus on political signs as a target of enforcement versus other types of advertising signs.

George Benson, town director of planning and land use, said that any signs that are posted on public property will be removed because such postings violate the zoning regulations.

The IPN will abide by applicable local zoning laws in terms of sign postings, Mr Walczak said.

P&Z members then formally acted to “disapprove” or reject their then-pending proposal to regulate the posting of political advertising signs on private property.