Wheeling lifts time limit on political signs

A Wheeling resident has won at least one part of a fight to have a law he deemed unconstitutional overturned.

The town's village board on Monday voted to remove a time constraint on an ordinance that dealt with political signs on private property.

Chris Shefner -- who was cited for having two Ron Paul signs in his front yard long before the 30 days prior to an election previously allowed in the village -- said he now wants Wheeling to look at some other portions of that same ordinance.

He said he will go back to the plan commission on March 13 so that board can discuss the number of signs allowed per candidate, the size of political signs and the issue of signs that have nothing to do with a candidate or politics.

"Let's just hope they stop stalling," Shefner said. "It's part of free speech."

Shefner was cited last year and decided to fight the ordinance instead of paying the $25 fine. He maintained that he should be allowed to do what he wants on his own private property and that the village was limiting his freedom of speech.

Wheeling had said at the time that the ordinance was put in place for aesthetic purposes. However, James Ferolo, the village attorney, changed his mind after looking into other cases.

"Federal case law has found that a 30-day time limit is unconstitutional," he said.

However, Ferolo said Wheeling's other restrictions on the signage issue are a good compromise to continue dealing with those aesthetic problems.

"You can't put up 10 signs for the same candidate," he said. "We protect everybody in this regard."

Ferolo said the village still expects Shefner to pay the $25 violation for the number of signs he has. The other fine for having signs up 30 days prior to the election has been dropped.

However, Shefner -- who still has both Ron Paul signs up in his yard -- said he will still not do that until the village has looked at the other issues in the political sign ordinance.