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6 | MAY 7, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Commission Moves to Remove

READER
Political Sign Time Restraints

POLL

FLATHEADBEACON.COM

A 30-day public

Should the Montana Board of comment period on the
Pardons and Parole Recommend
text amendment will be
Clemency for Barry Beach?
followed by a inal vote

By MOLLY PRIDDY of the Beacon

The Flathead County Commission ap-
proved a resolution of intent to amend the
county's zoning regulations to include 10
new changes, including one that would re-
51% YES 49% NO move time restraints on political signs on
TOTAL VOTES: 169
zoned county land.
During a May 2 hearing, the com-
mission voted 2-0 to accept the chang-
Do You Think Immigration es, which the Flathead County Planning
Reform Will Happen this Year?
Board recommended to the commission Campaign signs line the intersection of Three Mile Drive and North Meridian Road. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
after a Feb. 12 meeting. Commissioners has removed any restrictions about time
Pam Holmquist and Gary Krueger voted THE RESOLUTION OF INTENT restraints on political signs, and cities in

for the resolution of intent, and Commis- STATES THAT A SIGN CAN BE REGU- Montana have stopped attempting to en-
sioner Cal Scott abstained because he is force such rules.
currently running a reelection campaign LATED IN SIZE, BUT THE DURATION Approving the amendment comes at
that includes signs.
OF A SIGN CANNOT BE REGULATED.
an awkward time, Grieve said, because the
The resolution of intent states that a primary campaigns for the 2014 elections
sign can be regulated in size, but the dura- are underway. But this amendment is not
tion of a sign cannot be regulated.
related to this year’s campaigns, he said,
12% YES 88% NO After this resolution of intent comes At the heart of the matter is a person's and has “been on the to-do list for a while.”

TOTAL VOTES: 140
30 days of public comment, and that will constitutional right to free speech, plan- The other nine text amendments
be followed by a inal vote from the com- ning director BJ Grieve told the commis- mostly clariied existing provisions and
mission on the amendments.
sion during an April 21 public hearing on made the day-to-day use of the regulations
The previous political sign regulation the zoning amendments.
easier for the public, including the admin-
Do You Support the Castle stated that a political sign on zoned pri- There have been court cases about istrative condition use permits that would
Doctrine?
vate land could not be “erected more than this matter in diferent states, he said, and be necessary for cell phone towers in the
30 days prior to and removed not more those cases determined people have the North Fork; changing references to docu-
than one week after the election or event right to post signs on their property.
ments with new names; adding livestock
to which the sign pertains.”
The matter came to light during the as a permitted use for agricultural zoning;
That regulation also states that a po- 2012 election, Grieve said, and the com- clarifying the use of stables, both public
litical sign cannot be larger than 32 square plaints the planning oice received about and private, in agriculture and suburban
feet, which the planning board did not al- political signs were not registered because agriculture districts; clarifying street and
ter. The amendment includes a comment the complainant had a problem with the roadway standards; and clarifying where a
referring to speciic court cases about sign’s aesthetics, but rather because the caretaker’s facility may be located.
64YES 36NO residential political signs, such as Collier person complaining was from the oppos- For the full text amendments, visit
% %
TOTAL VOTES:147
v. City of Tacoma and City of Painesville ing campaign.
www.flathead.mt.gov/planning_zoning/
Building Department v. Dworken and Ber- Grieve also told the commission that meeting_informaion.php.
nstein Co.
the state Department of Transportation
[email protected]

ONLINE POLL RESULTS ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC
0
10

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