ABOVE, THE CAMPAIGN SIGN OF ERIC OSTER APPEARS TO BE IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY AT HIGHWAY 140 AND EIGHTH STREET IN MARIPOSA. GAZETTE PHOTO BY DAN TUCKER The political sign war is on. Every election year Mariposa County’s long-standing tradition of candidates blanketing the countryside with colorful political signs becomes highly visible.

This campaign season is no different. There are rules and restrictions that regulate this type of political gamesmanship, and a pair of local candidates are side-stepping state law when it comes to advertising along state’s traffic corridors.

According to the California Outdoor Advertising Act, Section 5405.3, “no such sign shall be placed within the right-of-way of any highway.” The state’s right-of-way standard is 30 feet from the center median. In some places along both State Highway 140 ad 49, that distance both shrinks and expands, sometimes to as much as 100 feet.

Steve Waldron, the Caltrans state highway inspector for Mariposa County, said that temporary political signs within the state’s right-of-way will be removed. He said that in most cases, the right-of-way is determined by the fence line, but where a fence doesn’t exist, the standard right-of-way is enforced.

As of last weekend, both Tolley Gorham, the candidate seeking the District 3 supervisor post, and Eric Oster, who is running for Mariposa County Auditor, have signs posted in the public right-of-way.

Oster’s are the most visible, just a few feet off of Highway 140 in the middle of town. Gorham has a pair located near the entrance to Mercy Medical Transportation on Highway 140, among others.

Waldron said, “If they are in the right-of-way we’ll remove them. That’s generally done by our maintenance personnel, but I’ve taken them down myself.”

The signs aren’t destroyed. “We stockpile them at our maintenance yard in Midpines where the candidates can pick them up,” Waldron added.

There are a number of candidates’ signs that would violate Mariposa County’s sign ordinance, but there is a caveat attached.

When the county adopted the current sign ordnance in 1991, it didn’t address “temporary political signs.”

Earlier this month, the board of supervisors took action to remedy the issue. On March 9, the board adopted a resolution of intention initiating an amendment to the Mariposa County Zoning Ordinance to add standards for political signs to County Code.

According to Deputy Planning Director Sarah Williams, the amendment, which should take effect in May, will define “temporary political signs” within the borders of Mariposa County. When the board adopted the resolution, it released a statement: “Candidates for political office are advised to follow there guidelines for political signs in the current primary election.”

Some candidates are ignoring the advice and placing signs very near the roadside, especially along Old Highway, where Gorham has a number of signs within the right-of-way.

Williams said that the state’s right-of-way of 60 feet (30 feet either side) on Old Highway still stands. Since Old Highway was the original state highway to Mariposa, the right-of-way was grandfathered when the state gave the roadway to the county.

As it stands now, none of the candidates with signs near the edge of the road are violating the county’s ordinance, since it isn’t in effect.

The new amendment states, “1. No political sign shall be placed within the right-of-way of any state highway; 2. No political sign shall be placed within the easement or right-of-way or on or over any portion of a county maintained road; 3. No political sign shall be placed on county property; 4. No political sign shall be placed sooner than 90 days prior to the scheduled election; 5. All political signs shall be removed within 10 days after the election; 6. No individual political sign shall be larger than 32 square feet; 7. Political signs shall contain no outline tubing, flashing lights, electronic messages or moving parts; 8. These standards shall apply to all political signs throughout Mariposa County, including planning areas, unless there are specific standards established for political signs in the adopted area plan for a planning area.”

Most of the language for the amendment is taken from state guidelines, including the removal of signs within 10 days after the election. The state has the same requirement. Caltrans has a form that must be submitted by the candidate naming the individual who placed the signs, and

who is responsible for their removal. So far, only District 3 incumbent supervisor, Janet Bibby, has complied with that requirement.