Councillor left ‘underwhelmed’ by proposed Calgary election sign rule changes – Calgary | 24CA News

On Wednesday, Calgary metropolis councillors will debate proposed adjustments to guidelines round election indicators in an effort to chop down on litter in public areas and boulevards. But some councillors really feel the proposal doesn’t go far sufficient.

The amendments to the town’s non permanent signal bylaw observe a movement from two councillors final yr that raised considerations with the variety of indicators in public areas alongside metropolis streets throughout election campaigns.

The discover of movement from Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp requested metropolis administration to look into the difficulty forward of an election interval whereas contemplating the environmental and driver security impacts of the indicators.

The proposed amendments embrace rising the minimal distance between indicators by the identical celebration or candidate to 30 meters, 10 meters greater than the present guidelines.  The proposal would additionally prohibit indicators inside two metres of a driveway crossing.

Administration mentioned it’s also reviewing areas with excessive criticism numbers to contemplate including to the checklist of prohibited roadways for signal placement.

City administration’s proposed amendments would additionally improve the minimal fines to $100, up from $75, whereas tickets price $125 would change to $200.

“At first glance, I’ll be honest, I was actually underwhelmed,” Penner advised reporters.

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Penner mentioned the proposed adjustments don’t go far sufficient and added she could be bringing ahead a movement to ship the amendments again to metropolis administration for additional work.

“What’s proposed isn’t going to dissuade bad behaviour,” Penner mentioned. “I think we need to be more strict, more thoughtful, and really reach for something that is lofty and tries to actually achieve minimizing waste.”

Penner famous Calgarians wouldn’t discover a distinction in signal quantity if the bylaw adjustments have been in impact for the upcoming provincial election.

According to metropolis administration, complaints to 311 about non permanent indicators improve by a median of 27 per cent in years when an election is held, regardless of being a typical criticism throughout marketing campaign intervals.

Campaign strategists say election indicators are crucial to garner their candidate some identify recognition amongst voters, particularly if their candidate isn’t an incumbent.

“There’s a big demographic that’s not on social media,” mentioned Sarah Biggs, a companion at Olsen+Biggs Public Affairs. “So getting your name recognition out there and really getting people to see who you are is the most important thing for them.”

Biggs mentioned she understands complaints concerning the “visual pollution” of a big quantity of election indicators, particularly in municipal races with a number of candidates operating in the identical space.

However, Biggs mentioned she expects points with enforcement given the minor change to minimal distances between indicators.

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“It is important to try to clean up the landscape a little bit, but I don’t think that it’s a realistic goal,” Biggs advised Global News. “Do we have enough bylaw enforcement?  The bylaws are already stretched thin, resources are stretched thin.”

Sign producers and printers are prepared and ready for the calls to roll in as Alberta approaches its upcoming election scheduled for May 29.

George Brookman, with Western Canadian Digital Imaging (WCD), mentioned he expects calls from candidates to start out coming round April.

“Election time is very busy and we get lots of calls from lots of candidates,” Brookman mentioned. “When you drive down Elbow Drive or drive up Northmount Drive, there will be signs everywhere and they all need to be printed, put out and collected again, so it’s a busy time.”

But Brookman mentioned he understands the town’s want to make adjustments to its bylaw round non permanent indicators.

“When you get a nice boulevard that’s just covered with signs, even if its only for two or three weeks, I find it very annoying myself,” he mentioned. “That’s part of the game, I suppose.”

The metropolis’s government committee is scheduled to debate the proposed amendments on Wednesday.

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