Neighborhood Focus

Signs, signs everywhere
City cleans up the clutter
By Stephanie Bertholdo
bertholdo@theacorn.com

Garage sale signs, open house signs, lost pet notices, loud business banners, neon lights in storefronts, and humongous signs mounted on cars that drivers and pedestrians can’t help but notice, all share one thing in common: They’re breaking the law in Agoura Hills.

City officials and city council members discussed last week how to cut the clutter and get the message out to citizens that these and other residential and commercial violations are being frowned upon.

Every Monday morning, two members of the city’s planning department hit the streets to remove the illegal signs.

Other violations are handled differently. For example, when a neighbor complains to the city about a car wreck that seems to be a permanent fixture on a neighbor’s lawn, a staff member inspects the property to confirm if there’s been a violation. The allegedly guilty party is given a specific amount of time to correct the problem. Compliance must be verified. A city staff report noted that about 95 percent of the complaints that the city receives are taken care of voluntarily. For those few who choose not to comply, the city prosecutor, Steve Rosenblit, steps in. Rosenblit sends a letter or conducts a conference with the violator.

Rosenblit said that the fine could be as much as $1,000 and six months in the county jail.

"In rare instances it is necessary for the city prosecutor to take the matter to court where the penalty is determined if the defendant is found guilty," the report said. Mike Kamino, Agoura Hills director of planning and community development, said the majority of complaints received by the city are residential violations. He reported that about 150 residential code complaints are filed each year. At any given time, the city is handling 27 code enforcement issues, half of which are related to building permit violations, Kamino said. The rest of the complaints revolve around property maintenance, trash seen from the public right-of-way, or simply too much noise.

Kamino said the commercial code violations relate to lighting, outdoor displays, landscape maintenance and other building violations.

Said, Rosenblit, "I’d like swifter action for someone who refuses to comply."

Mayor Ed Corridori called for a shorter window on enforcement, but added that he didn’t want the city to become a "sign Gestapo."

Council member Dan Kuperberg agreed that repeat offenders should not be allowed to go untouched.

Council member Jeff Reinhardt pointed out that the city recently was blanketed with signs about a closeout sale in another city.

"The fact that the business closed down doesn’t stop the city from prosecuting," Reinhardt said. "This sends a message to other like-minded people."

Reinhardt said certain violations—mostly commercial infractions—"cry out" for sanctions.