Duarte : Sign Guidelines Approved

The City Council has voted 4 to 0 to adopt a sign ordinance allowing residents more flexibility in advertising garage and yard sales, and regulating the placement of real estate signs.

The ordinance, approved Tuesday, will take effect in 30 days. It will increase to three the number of signs that residents may post to advertise garage sales. It also permits their placement on property away from the sale location with permission from affected property owners. Signs may not be posted before noon the day before the sale, and they must be removed by 6 p.m. the day the sale ends.

Another part of the ordinance bans temporary real estate signs from utility poles, street signs and traffic signals. The ordinance allows such signs to be attached to tree trunks with diameters of more than four inches by means of a Velcro strap, so long as the lowest part of the sign is higher than four feet and the entire sign is below all branches and foliage.

Real estate signs may be on posts or attached to professionally made A-frame structures not taller than 42 inches.