Kaysen: Court Rulings On Sign Restrictions Inconsistent

As the Cheyenne City Council prepares to consider loosening restrictions on political signs in the city, Mayor Rick Kaysen says case law on the issue is inconsistent and confusing.

The council on Monday night is set to consider changes to the city's Unified Development Code that restrict the use of the signs, including the length of time they can be displayed. Kaysen says trying to determine exactly what courts round the country have said about such restriction is difficult because the rulings vary "right up to the Supreme Court".

Kaysen says the issue pits first amendment rights of  free speech  "against the interests and property rights of our residents". A ruling in Laramie County District Court in 1996 did strike down a seperate set of restrictions on political signs.

Kaysen recently said he wasn't sure how he would vote on loosening the current UDC restrictions on political signs.