Glendale Tightens Regulations on Sidewalk News Racks
The Glendale City Council voted 4 to 0 Tuesday to strengthen regulations on placement of news racks on city street corners.
The ordinance requires news racks to be registered with the city before they can be placed on street corners, establishes height limitations and prohibits news racks from being chained to loose objects such as bricks or pipes.
Under past regulations, as many as 20 racks have been placed in one location, said George Miller, Glendale director of public works. “We’re trying to clean up the clutter and make the city more attractive.”
The city’s previous news rack ordinance was challenged in a 1986 lawsuit filed by a distributor of sexually oriented newspapers. A Glendale Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the city last March.
Miller said his department had worked with the city attorney’s office to draft an ordinance that would avoid future legal problems.
The city will begin “vigorous enforcement” of the ordinance when it goes into effect in 30 days, Miller said.
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