BREA : City Acts to Restrict Newspaper Racks

An ordinance to control newspaper racks, their installation and their contents was given initial approval this week.

City Council members voted 3 to 0 Tuesday to give preliminary approval to the law. It requires permits, restricts the placement of newspaper racks and how materials are displayed in them and establishes maintenance standards.

Mayor Burnie Dunlap and Councilwoman Kathryn E. Wiser were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

The ordinance was drafted because newspaper racks and similar vending machines have been on the increase in Brea, causing a “threat to the public health, safety and welfare by impeding pedestrian traffic,” city officials said.

Under the new law, racks containing pornographic materials must have blinders. The permits required will carry a fee that the City Council is expected to determine at another meeting.

Newspaper racks must be placed out of the public right of way and be maintained in a “clean and neat condition,” officials said.

Violators could face fines of up to $1,000 and six months in jail.

“We feel it’s very necessary to provide some controls over placement of periodical racks and keep it from becoming the problem it has become in some cities,” Councilman Glenn G. Parker said. “We haven’t had substantial proliferation of (newspaper racks), so we have to have controls in place before it gets to be a problem.”

No one spoke against the new ordinance, which will go into effect 30 days after formal approval, expected at the council’s Nov. 16 meeting.

Officials at the newspapers most often found in racks throughout the city were unaware of the new law.

“We haven’t even seen the ordinance, but in terms of keeping (the newspaper racks) clean and in working order, we already do,” said Bill Furlow, marketing director of The Times Orange County Edition.

Barry Berg, director of distribution for the Orange County Register, said that Register racks are also kept clean and tidy.