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Councilman wants to ban fliers placed on windshields
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Pittsburgh Councilman Bruce Kraus plans to introduce tomorrow legislation that would ban the practice of putting fliers on car windshields, which he said today has increased litter and exposed kids to inappropriate messages.
The legislation would also explicitly allow the posting of lost pet fliers on public surfaces.
Fliers on car windows -- many shoved under windshield wipers -- are a nuisance in many city business districts, Mr. Kraus said.
"I see it on the South Side every Saturday and Sunday morning, but I'm sure it's happening in the Strip District and Lawrenceville," he said.
The fliers often advertise adult services.
"They end up all over the street and in front of Phillips Elementary," Mr. Kraus said.
The legislation would impose a $15 fine, plus court costs, for a first violation, and $500 plus court costs for subsequent violations. Those fines are standard for small sign violations in city code.
Mr. Kraus said his office has received excellent cooperation from the Department of Public Works in citing businesses that post commercial fliers on public surfaces but that there is a gap in city code regarding windshield fliers.
His legislation also exempts lost pet fliers from existing sign bans. The issue came to a head last month when a public works employee broke with usual city policy and threatened Nicole and Chris Currivan, owners of lost dog Mochi, with fines for their signs.
Mochi has apparently left the city limits, Ms. Currivan wrote in an e-mail, after reports came in over the weekend of a sighting in Penn Hills.
First Published July 21, 2008 9:33 am
