Resident asks Fortuna to enforce sign removal law at Freedom Fuel on Main Street

During the Jan. 6 public-comment period a Fortuna resident told the City Council that a political sign at Freedom Fuel (also called Freedom Fuel Station), 166 Main Street, has remained in place well past the 10-day removal window set by Fortuna Municipal Code Section 17.05.180.

The speaker said the sign was present before the Nov. 2024 presidential election and remained visible at the time of the Jan. 6 meeting. The commenter said that, allowing for the 10-day removal requirement, the sign had been posted about 52 days beyond the deadline (the speaker calculated 62 days since the election and 52 days beyond the 10-day limit). The resident said they contacted employees at the business, called Fortuna Police and spoke with Officer Perez, who the resident said initially was unaware of the removal requirement but later agreed it was a municipal matter. The commenter said they also contacted the Planning Department and that the Planning Director said he would raise the issue with the business owner, identified in the public comment as Mr. McWhorter. The speaker said they left a message for Code Enforcement Officer Wayne Hanson in mid-December and had not received a follow-up.

The resident asked the council to “rally city resources” to enforce the municipal code and said they would file a formal complaint the following day. City staff did not announce a specific enforcement action at the meeting. The council did not take action during the public-comment period; Mayor Mike Johnson closed public comment and moved on to the agenda.

The council's meeting record shows no further discussion or vote on the matter during the Jan. 6 session. The municipal code section cited by the speaker requires political signs to be removed within 10 days of an election; the resident's statement about days remaining is their reported calculation and the council did not provide a separate count or enforcement update at the meeting.