Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Signs And Free Speech topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council tables proposed repeal of sign ordinance amid constitutional and ethics concerns
Summary
After public comment raising First Amendment and conflict-of-interest concerns, the Park Ridge Borough Council voted to table a proposed repeal of the borough sign ordinance (Ordinance 2026-018) to allow legal review and to avoid an appearance of impropriety.
The Park Ridge Borough Council voted to table Ordinance 2026-018, a proposed repeal that would have loosened restrictions on political signs, after resident Howard Fredericks warned the measure could violate constitutional protections for anonymous political speech and flagged a potential conflict of interest involving a council member.
Fredericks told the council he had consulted constitutional-law experts and cited U.S. Supreme Court precedents, including McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Village of Stratton, arguing that a new permitting requirement and $25 fee for signs on public property would chill anonymous political expression. "I fear it will create a constitutional crisis for the borough and open us up to costly lawsuits," Fredericks said during public comment. He also asked the council to delay action while a related court matter is active.
A council member responding at the meeting said borough attorney Brian Giblin advised the proposed change would be prospective and not retroactive and noted the planning board had reviewed the zoning change for master-plan consistency. Still, several council members said the timing — with an upcoming election and a council member implicated in a separate municipal-court matter — made immediate action inappropriate. One council member called the timing "unseemly." The council moved to table the repeal and then carried the motion in a roll-call vote: Goldsmith — abstain; Mintz — yes; Hoffman — no; Fenwick — no; Metzdorff — yes; Council President Cozzi — yes.
The council voted to table (motion carried) to allow the borough attorney to review the constitutional questions and to avoid taking up the matter during an active legal proceeding. Council members said they expect legal guidance before the ordinance returns to the agenda.
What happens next: The ordinance was tabled; the council did not set a firm deadline for returning it to the agenda. Council members said the ordinance could remain tabled until legal issues and any court actions are resolved. The borough clerk recorded the vote and noted the abstention.
Sources: Public comment and roll-call proceedings at the Park Ridge Borough Council meeting on July 8, 2026. Quotes come from resident Howard Fredericks and council remarks recorded during the meeting.
