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Atoka board approves short-term moratorium on right-of-way sign prohibition amid complaints about enforcement
Summary
After weeks of complaints about selective removal of political signs, the Atoka Town Board voted 4–2 to temporarily suspend the portion of town code that bars political signs in public rights of way until shortly after the Nov. 2024 election; the moratorium does not affect 100-foot statutory buffers.
The Atoka Town Board voted 4–2 on Oct. 15 to place a temporary moratorium on the code sentence that prohibits political signs in public rights of way, a move members said was needed to address perceived inconsistent enforcement during an active election period.
Pam Gibbons, a resident who spoke during public comment, asked the board for an accounting of the cost and process after staff removed political signs in parts of town. "I just want kind of a total number of costs that this little episode cost the town," she said, and asked why standard code-violation notice protocol was not followed.
Town Administrator Goad and town planner Jim Atkinson said staff had responded to multiple citizen complaints and photos showing signs located within mapped rights of way. Atkinson explained the town's sign sections and how right-of-way widths vary by street type, saying the ordinance prohibits placement within the delineated right of way. Goad told the board enforcement decisions were made to avoid the appearance of partiality but acknowledged enforcement had looked inconsistent to residents.
Board members debated options including a full moratorium, a suspension limited to political signs, or maintaining enforcement as written. After several motions and amendments, the board approved a temporary suspension of the specific sentence in code section 6.5.3 that bars political signs from public rights of way; the motion clarifies that state and federal election law buffers (including the 100-foot boundary around polling places) remain in effect.
Alderman Pace said the direction gives staff clear instruction during the limited period while the board revises the ordinance. Several board members urged a follow-up work session to rewrite the code addressing the "gray area" between private yards and rights of way and to craft a consistent enforcement policy.
The board instructed staff to continue enforcing other safety-related sign restrictions and noted that signs that create line-of-sight or traffic-safety hazards remain prohibited under separate code sections. The moratorium is temporary and set to expire shortly after the Nov. 2024 election.
