Oxnard : Display of Signs Upheld by Court

A state appeals court has upheld the right of two homeowners in Oxnard Shores to display large signs calling attention to a former oil waste dump beneath the subdivision.

In its ruling, the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Ventura overturned a preliminary injunction obtained last year by the Oxnard Shores Community Assn. The association had sought to remove the signs on the grounds that they exceeded the size allowed by the subdivision’s covenants, conditions and restrictions.

The three-judge panel held that the right of the homeowners to exercise free speech outweighed the association’s interest in enforcing the provisions of the subdivision’s rules.

“Although the signs may not be aesthetically pleasing, Oxnard Shores Community Assn. has presented little or no evidence of economic hardship,” wrote Judge Arthur Gilbert.

The city of Oxnard filed criminal charges against Stephen Blanchard and a second homeowner, Lynda Paxton, over the signs at one time, but the charges were later dismissed.