HUNTINGTON BEACH : Council Considers Handbill Regulation

In a move to curb the distribution of handbills that often end up as litter on driveways, parking lots and streets, the City Council has introduced an ordinance that would strictly regulate the practice.

The ordinance, which the council will consider on Monday, would forbid anyone from placing a flyer or handbill on any vehicle. It would also require that advertisements distributed at homes or businesses be tied or otherwise secured to the building, and that any existing flyers be removed before a new one is left.

The proposed law is similar to those enacted by other Orange County cities in recent years, including Anaheim, Irvine and Santa Ana.

City officials proposed the law in response to a growing number of complaints about handbills from residents and business owners, said Arnold Samardich, a city code enforcement officer.

The law would be relatively easy to enforce, Samardich said, because it would target the advertiser, not the person distributing the flyer. “We’re not going to go after the kid delivering these things. We’ll go after whoever’s name is on the advertisement,” he said.

First-time violators would receive a warning, but additional infractions would result in a misdemeanor charge, punishable by a fine set by a municipal court judge, Samardich said.

If the council approves the ordinance, it would become effective Dec. 19.