Town of Pittsford

COMPLAINT TARGETS PITTSFORD SIGN LAW:

The political signs law that the Pittsford Town Board adopted Tuesday may be challenged as unconstitutional.

The Empire State Consumer Association filed a complaint about the law Wednesday with the Genesee Valley Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

"My concern is our First Amendment rights," said Judy Braiman, the association's president. She maintains that the town's law is a "restriction of free speech."

A Pittsford resident, Braiman was among the speakers at a public hearing on the proposed law that was conducted before the Town Board unanimously adopted a slightly revised ordinance. The law becomes effective Nov. 15.

The only major change made Tuesday night was extending the deadline for removal of the signs from two days to four days after an election or referendum, said Pittsford Supervisor Bill Carpenter.

Town officials decided to enact the law because of the out-of-control proliferation of political signs last year, Carpenter had explained.

Among the law's provisions are restricting the erection of signs to 45 days before the public vote, limiting the number of signs on a single property to two per candidate and restricting the size of the signs to 6 square feet.