Orangeburg City Council will take a look at its sign ordinance to make sure it does not prohibit all political signs in residential areas, the city attorney said Tuesday.

After a 30-minute legal briefing in closed, executive session, City Attorney James Walsh said "We'll look at the ordinance to make sure the intent is not to prohibit signs."

The issue arose last week when Bill Connor, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, complained that his political sign was removed from a supporter's property.

Connor complained the city is limiting free speech by restricting political signs to within 30 days before an election

The city building official said the sign was removed because it was in the right of way. The city requires all signs to be five feet from the right of way, he said.

Walsh said he has done legal research and discussed the sign issue with the city's consultant, who developed the ordinance language.

"He explained to us that our ordinance does not totally prohibit political signs," the attorney said. The current ordinance, passed in 2008, states that 32-square-foot signs can't be placed in residential areas 30 days prior to an election. However, six-square-foot signs can be in residential areas.

"That's the interpretation of the consultant," he said.

Walsh said that he agrees with the consultant that the intent is not to, "prohibit political signs totally in residential areas."

The sign the city removed was on the right of way, not on private property, Walsh said.

"The city could remove," Connor's sign, he said. "Any revisions we make will still prohibit signs in rights-of-way."

T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.

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