Council asks staff to rework proposed sign-enforcement rules after private-property concerns

The Big Bear Lake City Council opened a public hearing on a development-code amendment intended to shorten the time from complaint to enforcement for temporary noncommercial signs. Planning staff proposed shortening the enforcement cadence from roughly eight weeks to a two- to three-week timeline and allowing immediate removal where a sign appears to be in violation.

Kelly Tinker and Andrew Mellon presented the proposed process, including an administrative appeal to a city-manager designee. Councilmember Chuck Hicks and the city attorney questioned language that, as drafted, could be read to authorize staff to enter private property and remove signs. "What gives us the right to go on a private property?" Hicks asked, noting concerns about warrants and trespass.

Planning staff said actual enforcement practice would begin with owner contact and an opportunity to appeal, and that removal would not be an initial walk-on-to-property action. The city attorney said the draft raises First Amendment and legal-entry concerns and recommended the ordinance be returned to staff and legal for revisions. Council accepted that recommendation by consensus and directed staff to bring back a clarified draft addressing private-property enforcement, notice and appeal procedures.

Whats next: Staff will work with the city attorney to revise the amendments language, clarifying when removal may occur, steps for owner contact, and the administrative-appeal process; council did not adopt the ordinance tonight.