Hollister Mayor Igacio Velasquez took to social media over the weekend to remind citizens to not place garage sale signs on utility poles and to remove their signs after the sale is held as a way to remove blight.
In Facebook postings to at least three local message boards, Velasquez said that while garage sale signs “are a great way to sell of meny things we don’t need any longer … please remember to be respectful to your neighbors and most importantly don’t forget to take down your garage sale signs so that our city keeps looking beautiful.”
The mayor posted to the groups Hollister Neighborhood Watch, Hollister Mayor Hotline and What’s Going on in Hollister CA, drawing dozens of responses — mostly in support of the idea to limit the amount of garage sale signs that are visible throughout town on weekends.
“The best way to promote an event is right here on Facebook or by using yard sale signs placed on private property,” Velasquez said on one message board. In response to a comment that it was “quite a stretch legally” for the city to fine someone for a “minor crime that wasn’t observed” — such as placing a sign on a utility pole, Velasquez said it was “important to understand that we don’t want to fine anyone but we need people to clean up after themselves.”
In another group, Velasquez agreed with a commenter that the sign placers would be easy to find because their address is on the signs and that “we will have to start fining people” if the problem persists.
Here’s a link to the Facebook group, What’s Going on in Hollister CA, where Velasquez posted his message:Â https://www.facebook.com/groups/585601614805542/
Hollister Municipal Code features a variety of sign rules and prohibitions:
A.    The following signs are prohibited:
1.     Canvas signs, excluding awning signs, banners, pennants, flags, streamers, balloons, or other temporary or wind signs except as otherwise provided in sections entitled Exempt Signs, On-Site Sign Regulations, and Off-Site Sign Regulations of this chapter.
2.     Mobile, A-frame and portable signs except as permitted on private property (see Section 17.20.050, Exempt Signs).
3.     Roof or canopy signs extending above a building roof, except that with approval of a Master Sign Plan, a wall sign may be architecturally integrated into a sloping roof fascia or mansard roof.
4.     Signs that resemble any official marker erected by the city, state, or any governmental agency, or that by reason of position, shape, color, or illumination would conflict with the proper functioning of any traffic sign or signal or would be a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
5.     Signs which produce odor, sound, smoke, fire, or other such emissions.
6.     Animated signs, flashing signs, moving signs, or rotating signs except as otherwise allowed in this chapter.
7.     Window signs that exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the visible window glass panel area of a window in the Airport, Airport Support, General Commercial, Commercial Office, Downtown Commercial Mixed Use, Gateway Commercial, or Industrial District and commercial buildings or commercial portion of a building in the West Gateway and Mixed Use Zoning Districts. Window signs are prohibited in the Residential and Home Office Zoning Districts.
8.     Off-site advertising signs except as provided for in the section entitled Master Sign Program.
9.     Signs advertising commercial uses, child care homes, day care homes, residential care facilities, and similar uses on sites where the principal use is a residential dwelling unit unless otherwise allowed in this title or in accordance with State law.
10.    Signs affixed to trees, shrubs, utility poles, traffic control devices, and the like.
11.    Signs on any floor above the first floor unless approved by the Planning Commission or pursuant to adopted sign standards.
12.    Abandoned signs.
13.    Multi-faced signs of more than two surface areas of signage.
14.    Billboards.
15.    Neon signs in the Residential, Home Office and Downtown Commercial Mixed Use Zoning Districts.
(Ord. 1038 § 2, 2008)
Click here for a link to the City of Hollister’s sign restrictions.