Demand Removal of Anti-Israeli and Antisemitic Billboard - San Carlos, CA [101 South]

City of San Carlos, Planning Department

San Carlos: City of Good Living or Billboard Battleground?

Why are ideological, anti-Israel billboards dominating our streets and the 101?

The answer is simple:

A billboard owner is shamelessly raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit while we are bombarded with divisive political and ideological ads.

Everyone in San Carlos and beyond are subjected to these divisive messages when they drive through San Carlos.

But here's the catch: These ads violate San Carlos own city municipal code! San Carlos' ordinance 18.22.030.

We've told City Hall, but they haven't acted.

Tell the city you want San Carlos to be a city of good living, not a platform for profit-driven political warfare. Demand they enforce the city’s ordinance and protect our community's peace and aesthetic.

Sponsored by
Ejh
End Jew Hatred

To: City of San Carlos, Planning Department
From: [Your Name]

We demand the immediate removal of the non-compliant billboard at [101 South], San Carlos, CA. The billboard violates San Carlos Municipal Code 18.22.030.

https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/SanCarlos/html/SanCarlos18/SanCarlos1822.html

I. Code Violations:

● Non-Commercial Content: The content does not advertise a product or service, violating the definition of a "billboard" (18.22.030).
● Structure/Content Mismatch: The structure's permitted commercial use is invalidated by the non-commercial content, making it an unpermitted sign (18.22.020(O)).
● "Advertising Message" Violation: The content is non-commercial (political/ideological), expressly excluded from permissible "advertising messages" (18.22.030).
II. Zoning Ordinance & Public Welfare Violations:

The content further violates the San Carlos Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 18.22), negatively impacting public welfare and aesthetics by:

● Detracting from Aesthetics: The imagery and content degrade the visual quality of public space.
● Impact Public Safety/Welfare: The content potentially constitutes defamation and emotional distress, raising safety concerns.
● Degrading City Appearance: The content detracts from the city's attractiveness.
● Disrupting Residential Character: The message is inappropriate for a residential setting.
III. Content Issues:

The content:

● Serves an ideological purpose with potentially defamatory and discriminatory imagery.
● Intentionally creates distress and encourages hatred against a minority community.
● Threatens public safety and well-being.
● Presents potentially false statements as fact.
IV. Legal Precedent:

● Local: The "Bushnell content" billboard withdrawal and Herson v. City of San Carlos (2009) support the city's regulatory authority.
● National: Metromedia, Inc. v. San Diego (1981), Scenic America, Inc. v. U.S. Dept. of Transportation (2014), Lehman v. City of Shaker Heights (1974), Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo (1974), Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co. (1926), Berman v. Parker (1954), City Council of Los Angeles v. Taxpayers for Vincent (1984), and Southlake Property Associates Ltd. v. City of Morrow (1997) affirm government authority to regulate and restrict billboards for aesthetics, safety, and public welfare, including content restrictions.
V. Demand for Action:

We demand the City of San Carlos to immediately enforce the city’s ordinance and protect our community's peace and aesthetic.

1. Notify Richard Traverso (ADCO) and The Theodore F. Nell and Dorothea B. Nell Trust (owners) of the violations and demand immediate removal of the billboard located in San Carlos [101 South].
2. Reject any re-permitting unless content fully complies with the San Carlos Municipal Code.