Curbs on News Racks Approved

An ordinance aimed at giving El Segundo greater control over news racks on public property was approved Tuesday by the City Council. The measure will not force removal of existing news racks, but it limits locations of future racks, officials said.

According to a city survey, El Segundo has 59 news-rack locations with a total of 267 racks--205 of them on public property.

The measure, updating an existing ordinance, takes effect in a month. It requires owners of existing news racks to obtain city permits within 90 days after the measure is effective. The lower two-thirds of sexually oriented publications must be blocked from view. News racks must be maintained in an attractive condition, and owners must provide liability insurance protecting the city.

The ordinance was revised after resident Willard Crick complained that children can easily obtain pornographic material from news racks. At Tuesday’s council meeting, Crick said he was unhappy that the new measure does not ban such material. City Atty. Leland C. Dolley said courts have ruled that the contents of news racks cannot be limited unless the material is obscene as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court.