Gun Show Flier Near School Triggers Move to Regulate Such Signs

The flier for the gun show that popped up right outside Oxnard High School was the last straw: The City Council agreed Tuesday it has to do something to regulate such signs.

But passing an ordinance might force Oxnard to outlaw most temporary signs--including real estate posters and ads for garage sales and fliers for carwashes, the council learned.

“There is nothing we can do about gun shows in particular unless City Council wished to prohibit all signs of a similar nature,” City Atty. Gary Gillig said before the meeting. “The problem arises when you start saying signs with a certain content can be displayed and signs with a different content cannot. The real estate people always want the ability to put up real estate signs. You can’t protect them and exclude others.”

Oxnard leaders said they had already decided to study the possibility of such an ordinance before the wave of killings that has left seven people dead since Jan. 1. And before the brother of a slain youth told the council about the gun show sign outside his school.

Mario Pech, a 17-year-old Oxnard resident, whose brother was killed by a gunman, appeared before the City Council last week to protest the posting of gun show signs across the street from the high school where he is a junior.

Santa Ana-based Super Show Productions held a gun show at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center over the weekend. Representatives could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

City Council members asked staff members to study several options, including:

* Limiting the number of signs that could be posted.

* Regulating signs posted on city property.

* Requiring that temporary signs posted on private property be located on the site where the product is sold or service provided.

City staff plans to poll residents and businesses to determine the impact such regulations would have and to hold a study session for the council in June.

Some residents and religious leaders argue that the council should go further than limiting gun show signs.

“The gun show already came and went,” Mario said. “I want them to totally ban gun shows. The same night the gun show was going on, an 18-year-old was killed.”

“In light of the handgun violence that has been taking place in our community, this is simply an inappropriate type of activity,” said the Rev. Larry Tyler Wayman of the North Oxnard United Methodist Church.

Gillig, the city attorney, said he believes the city could refuse to lease a city building to a commercial interest as long as it is not for an event protected by the First Amendment, such as a political rally.

“If you are going to open up a city facility for commercial activities such as boat, auto or weapon shows, I think the city can make choices as to which activities they want in their public facilities,” Gillig said.

But members of the National Rifle Assn. and others urged the council not to exclude gun shows from city facilities, saying merchants never sell firearms to children and that sales generate revenue for the city.

“Let’s not drive these [gun show] customers to other cities,” said Dr. Howard Fox, vice chairman of Ventura County’s NRA chapter. “Please don’t infringe on the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.”

Residents said the gun show advertisements posted near Oxnard High, which is located in an unincorporated county area, were removed last week before the gun show after school and county officials were contacted.

“The places they are putting them are not right,” said Mario, whose brother was slain last March when two men broke into his house and shot him, authorities said. “You don’t advertise in front of a high school. That is just like telling kids that it is OK to have a gun.”

Gillig said attempting to regulate commercial signs on private property can be legally tricky, especially when lines between free speech and business blur. A church could decide to sponsor a gun show, he said.

“Then you get, come to the gun show, praise Jesus,” Gillig said, adding that such an ad might be protected from a temporary sign ban.

Thousand Oaks has banned most temporary signs except signs from the United Way and other community organizations that are placed on private property only and with permission from the property owners.

“The only kinds of signage that is allowed are banners that have to be permitted or window painting that is regulated,” said Betty Gust, a Thousand Oaks code compliance officer.