Tooele Council adopts ordinance to align political sign rules with state law, sets $20 safekeeping fee

The Tooele City Council on July 15 adopted Ordinance 2026-20-19 to align the city’s sign regulations with recent changes in state law, a move that allows political signs on park strips when the adjacent private landowner consents and limits the circumstances under which the city may remove political signs.

City Attorney Matt Johnson told the council the state changes “altered the way that cities can regulate political signs,” and that Tooele’s amendments point directly to the state statute while describing how the city will implement safekeeping and appeals. "If the city removes a political sign, the city then has to place it in safekeeping," he said, and the ordinance describes the safekeeping location and process.

The ordinance implements a maximum $20 deposit for retrieval of signs placed into safekeeping and a $20 fee to file an appeal of the city’s action. Johnson said the city will allow an owner to challenge whether the $20 fee was necessary and that successful appellants would have the fee returned under the city’s administrative appeals process.

Council members asked whether an adjacent private-property owner could effectively choose which political signs are displayed on the park strip next to their property. Johnson said code enforcement could remove a sign if the adjacent owner withdraws consent and that removals must follow the state’s timing and safety rules — for example, signs that create traffic or pedestrian hazards remain removable under state law.

During the public hearing, a resident asked whether business signs are treated the same; Johnson clarified the exception applies specifically to political signs, while commercial signage remains governed by the city’s sign ordinance. City staff and a member of city staff identified as Chris Long noted that municipalities can tie sign placement windows to the start of early voting and that state law includes a 14-day removal period after elections.

Councilman McCall moved to adopt the ordinance; Councilman Gossett seconded, and the ordinance passed on a 5–0 vote. The ordinance updates chapter 7-25 and adds a safekeeping procedure (section 7-25-30.1) and related fees to the city code.

The council’s action responds to Utah House Bill 33 and establishes the city’s local process for handling noncompliant political signs, safekeeping removed signs, and resolving appeals. The ordinance takes effect as provided in the ordinance text and as required by state law.