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City tentatively OKs anti-littering ordinance
STORY TOOLS 
More from Local NewsThe Simi Valley City Council gave initial approval Monday to an anti-littering ordinance that would prohibit the placement of fliers and other printed material on vehicles in the city.
Under the ordinance, the city attorney's office could charge violations as either infractions or misdemeanors. Violators could be fined $100 for the first infraction, while misdemeanors would be punishable by fines up to $1,000 or six months' imprisonment.
The ordinance still needs final approval by the council.
In March, the council asked the city attorney's office to prepare the ordinance, which states that privately owned vehicles are not public forums, and that placement of printed material on cars can be regulated in an effort to eliminate litter and blight.
At the March meeting, Councilwoman Barbra Williamson said she wanted to know if something could be done to stop a nude-dance club business in Canoga Park from placing business cards on cars throughout Simi Valley.
Williamson said when the business representatives were told to stop, they said it was within their First Amendment rights to continue.
"Eighty percent of (the cards) are probably thrown on the ground. We need to stop (printed material on cars) before it gets way out of control," Williamson said.
Simi Valley city officials noted that a similar anti-littering ordinance in the city of Catlettsburg, Ky., was recently upheld by a federal court.
Simi Valley's ordinance does say that alternative channels of communications, such as handing someone a flier, are still allowed.
Posted by finnmcgowan on May 7, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the city's heart is in the right place. Advertisers should bear the responsibility for their litter.
> punishable by fines [or]
> imprisonment.
I understand fines, but how do you imprison a corporation? Are we going to arrest the owners/stockholders? The board members? The company executives? The kid from Canoga Park that they hired to deliver the ads?
Posted by sparks240 on May 7, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They should do the same with junk mail, door hangers, and election posters.
Posted by trek_queen on May 12, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TO already does this and it definitely works! Though, idiots still show up at the CLU campus and mall parking lots to leave notices but it isn't as bad as it used to be!
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