complaint about signs

[RanchHQ]

Originally Posted by Matthew

I know not everyone gets online or visits RMO, but feel free to post any community event here.

I tried that for The Ranch HQ Discounted Pasture Parking for July 4th.

I did not get one Customer.

[walkthedog]

First it will be a sign or two then Woodstock II then night time driveway parking enforcement.

[Luke]

Originally Posted by RanchHQ

I tried that for The Ranch HQ Discounted Pasture Parking for July 4th.

I did not get one Customer.

I stopped by, but your parking attendant needed some customer relations skills and caused me to move on.

[feistylady]

just a little tidbit of info on the experience I had with a banner. When I and three other ladies formed a political group last election, our group put out a sign, and immediately, some #$%#$ people called and complained to the RMA that they didn't like the sign, and further more, thought it had been up too long. We had been given approval to have it up the length of time it was there. These few #$#$# people put such pressure on the weak kneed person in charge of dealing with this issue, he felt forced to take it down and rescinded his verbal agreement with us. So, the moral if this story is, depending on the sign and what it says, and whether it is approved by a certain element of this community, and they scream loud enough, you can put your sign on the common area or not.

[nana]

Political signage is governed more by federal law than CC&Rs of an HOA, Feisty; however, I believe it is limited to private property only and our "common area" belongs to all, so yeah, you may be right that the squeakiest wheel gets the grease!

[Wilbur]

Was it at the entrance area or in front of a home? Davis-Stirling protects the right to place a noncommercial sign on one's own property, but when RMA adopted Rules amendments to match the statute they agreed to allow political signs on common area in front of townhomes, circles and cottage lots as long as they were within 10 feet of the house. But the Rule bans, as they may, political signs anywhere else on common area.

Section 3. Non-Commercial Signs, Posters, Banners and Flags
A. Signs, posters, banners and flags are non-commercial if they are unrelated to the
economic interests of the person or persons displaying these types of items.
B. Non-commercial signs and posters may be no larger than 9 square feet; banners and flags may be no larger than 15 square feet.
C. Non-commercial signs, posters, banners and flags may be constructed of paper,
cardboard, cloth, plastic or fabric, but the use of lights, roofing, siding, paving materials, flora, balloons or other similar building, landscaping or decorative materials is not permitted. Architectural surfaces such as the exteriors of dwellings and fences may not be painted upon to simulate signs, posters, banners or flags.
D. Non-commercial signs, posters, banners and flags may be displayed from the yard,
window, door (including garage door), balcony or outside wall of the property owned by a resident as a separate interest. Common areas are not included in this definition.
E. Political Signs
1. Political signs endorsing and/or supporting candidates and/or specific ballot measures are allowed as signage only on private property with the consent of the resident for all local, state, or federal election purposes including school district elections, with the exception of residents of townhouses, circle lots, cottage lots, and single family residential lots (the area commonly known as the Arbors) who may place political signs within 10 feet of the dwelling structure, even if the signs are on the common area.
2. Political signs are prohibited in or on any Association dedicated rights-of way,
facilities, and common areas except as stated in Section 3.E.1 above.
3. Political signs must be removed within three (3) days following the conclusion of the election with respect to which they were posted.
F. Notwithstanding the foregoing, non-commercial signs, posters, banners and flags may not be displayed in such a manner as to create a public health or safety hazard (e.g., blocking visibility on a road or at an intersection) and such signage is not permitted to display language that is libelous, obscene, would constitute hate speech, or otherwise violates local, state, or federal law.

[Luke]

I think everyone is missing the point of Feisty's post. Her group sought and obtained approval from RMA to put it up, only to have RMA reverse their position when a few cranky folks complained.

Originally Posted by feistylady

We had been given approval to have it up the length of time it was there.

[Wilbur]

I wonder if was stumble bumble decisionmaking, not unheard of in these here parts' past. I think the policy permitting, and approval process re:, banners at the gates was intended to be limited to promoting nonprofit group events. Come November that area could be quite a mess if every candidate, every proposition position, was represented along with the nonprofits' events. The actual Rule states

2. Political signs are prohibited in or on any Association dedicated rights-of way,
facilities, and common areas except as stated in Section 3.E.1 above.

I'm wondering whether when somebody complained somebody realized ARC (or is it just Mark who rules on these? Do they go to full committee? I don't know) had screwed up by OK'ing a political sign on common area in violation of an explicit provision of the Rules.

[feistylady]

A few answers to your questions. The banner was announcing a meeting of this group, the time and date. That is all. It was the proper size and shape, and as I said before was approved before hand to have it displayed for the time the person in charge and us agreed to. It was not endorsing any candidate, just advertising the meeting, just like every other banner is allowed to do. I think that Luke got the message I was trying to convey.

[Wilbur]

Well, it obviously sounds like it wasn't handled well, whatever the answer should have been in the first place. I'm not sure whether the policy re: banners has been formally written down as a Rule, but perhaps it needs some clarification so that there is a specific policy for all to consult, rather than seat of the pants decisionmaking.

I agree, an announcement of an organizational meeting of a group, rather than a political advocacy sign, certainly sounds a lot closer to what has been permitted out there in practice and doesn't IMO run afoul of the rule re: "Political signs" on common area.