WHY ARE POSTERS A CRIME IN CHAPEL HILL?

Chapel Hill Ordinance Sec. 16-3 (Placing notices, signs on
utility poles, trees, prohibited; exception.) No signs or notices for advertising purposes shall be fastened or tacked to telephone, telegraph or electric light poles or trees on the streets or sidewalks. However, the town manager may give permission for temporary signs to be placed on the streets or poles. (Comp. 1961, p. 44, § 3; Comp. 1961, pp. 51, 54)

In 2002, after a local activist was detained, cited, found guilty and fined after posting flyers on Franklin Street for a Banquet for Global Peace and Justice being held in Carrboro, more than 1,200 citizens of Chapel Hill petitioned the Chapel Hill Town Council to repeal this misguided ordinance. The Chapel Hill Herald editorialized against the ban, and the Town Planning Board recommended that it be repealed.

In the end, the Town Council voted 6-3 to keep the ban (Council members Mark Kleinschmidt, Bill Strom and Ed Harrison were the only three members to oppose the ban, while Pat Evans, Flicka Bateman, Edith Wiggins, Dorothy Verkerk, Jim Ward, and Mayor Kevin Foy voted to keep it). Five years later, new council members have been elected, but the issue hasn't been revisited and the ban still stands.

In our own ways, we are all artists. As the Chapel Hill Herald pointed out, "the poles are used by dozens of people each day to let the community know about a concert, an apartment to rent or even a banquet for peace and justice" (CH Herald editorial, April 18, 2002). A law like this is contrary to the tolerance and free exchange of ideas that makes Chapel Hill such a special place. If you think we should be able to hang posters on telephone poles without fear of arrest, sign the on-line petition!

"We, the undersigned, request that the Chapel Hill Town Council revise or repeal Chapel Hill Ordinance Sec. 16-3 to allow the posting of signs or notices for advertising purposes on utility poles, in order to encourage free speech, artistic expression, and grassroots marketing by local businesses."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE ON-LINE PETITION!

Mr. Jazzy, Killer, Sonny Boy, and Mr. Crazy say FREE THE TELEPHONE POLES!

Just this spring, art appeared on telephone poles around town. Hand painted wooden signs were nailed to poles featuring "lost" animals - Mr. Jazzy, Killer, Sonny Boy, and Mr. Crazy. "A little guerrilla art in Chapel Hill," said Kate Flory, executive director of the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission. "That's fun." Unfortunately, as the law now stands, IT'S ALSO ILLEGAL.

Local mom finds 'lost' art
Chapel Hill News
March 21, 2007
By Mark Schultz
Page 1

CHAPEL HILL -- Sandra Elliott has started collecting art.

But the Chapel Hill interior designer says she'll gladly put the art back where she found it if the artist wants her to.

Elliott was on Elliott Road about a month ago when she saw the first one: the word "Lost" and a crudely painted dog on a hand-sized piece of wood nailed to a utility pole.

Her son, Blake, yelled at her when she pried the piece of wood from the pole.

"Mom, you took the sign down," said Blake, 12. "What if somebody is trying to find their dog?"

"Well, there's no phone number," she replied. "And I don't think any dog looks like this."

The dog on the wooden board had five orange stripes down its back.

So far Elliott has collected four "Lost" signs looking for creatures named Mr. Crazy, Killer, Sonny Boy and Mr. Jazzy.

"I have not heard of this," said Kate Flory, executive director of the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission. "A little guerilla art in Chapel Hill. That's fun."

In addition to Elliott Road, Elliott said she has found the signs on South Lakeshore Drive, old Erwin Road and Old Chapel Hill Road.

"It's become our hunt," Elliott said of her turns driving in Blake's school carpool.

But she doesn't want to keep the art if its creator didn't intend for people to take it.

"I'm enjoying this, but I don't want to look like I'm going around stealing things," she said.