Gurnee village board ponders campaign sign size

Gurnee village board members became the latest elected officials to consider political sign size last week. Trustees couldn’t settle on the size that should be part of a retooled village ordinance, but they may decide the issue at a meeting June 6.

Similar to other towns, Gurnee banned campaign signs on all property from going up until 60 days bWhile state law now prohibits suburbs from enforcing a limit on how long campaign signs may be up on private residential property, local elected officials still can determine the size.

efore an election and required removal five days after the votes are cast.

Under the state law effective since Jan. 1, the village can’t enforce the time limits for political signs on private residential property — only commercial land.

Trustees intend to establish size restrictions for private residential lots for inclusion in the campaign sign ordinance. At a meeting May 16, the staff proposal was to limit the political signs to 16 square feet.

Village Attorney Bryan Winter said that size appears to be reasonable for a political placard. Still, Mayor Kristina Kovarik had her concerns.

“There still is not a lot of good direction from the state on what is reasonable,” Kovarik said.

Gurnee’s advisory plan commission recommended a 9-square-foot limit. Another advisory panel, the zoning board of appeals, suggested the village board adopt a sign maximum of 6 square feet.

Trustee Steve Park said 6 or 9 feet wouldn’t meet a test for reasonable sign limits.

Elsewhere, the state law’s eliminating the time restrictions for campaign signs on private residential property led to Lombard village trustees reducing the limit from 12 to 9 square feet.