GLENDALE — The mayor of Glendale says fake citations have been going up across the city, warning residents that they can only have two political signs on their yard.
Mayor Bryan Kennedy explained in a social media post Tuesday that the citations are in fact fake, and that the city doesn't even have the authority to put such signs up. That authority rests with state government.
Several residents of Glendale have spotted the fake orders. The mayor posted a picture of one of them, which says that no more than two signs are allowed on any property, and goes on to list other fake regulations.
Mayor Kennedy did clarify that the city recently adopted a two-sign maximum for 'message signs' that do not voice support for a political party or candidate. That includes graduation signs, Black Lives Matter signs, We Back the Badge signs, A Healthcare Hero Lives Here signs and others.
"The City of Glendale has no authority to limit political yard sign quantity. They are protected speech under the First Amendment. You will see homes with many flags and signs. You will see other homes with a single sign for a specific candidate. Those are all permissible during election season. The only limitation that the city can impose is that the signs cannot be in the medians or rights-of-way and cannot obstruct the view of drivers," Kennedy writes in the social media post.
"By state statute, this new city ordinance cannot infringe upon the free speech rights of voters during political campaign season to place signs for any and all political candidates that they choose to support," according to Kennedy.
Kennedy adds that he has heard complaints about some political signs with vulgarity or offensive messages written on them. "Those are also protected speech under the First Amendment and not regulated by state statute or city ordinance," he said.
