Residents of Butler County’s Connoquenessing Township can display political signs on their property without restrictions or without having to obtain a permit thanks to a resident lodging a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.
Connoquenessing, like several municipalities in Butler County, has a political sign ordinance that regulates how the signs can be displayed. The small township just west of Butler has an ordinance that required people to get permits for political signs.
But this week, the township refunded a $30 permit fee to one resident and allowed other residents to display political signs concerning a public sewer project without obtaining permits.
This comes three weeks after the ACLU sent a letter to the township on behalf of resident Mark Williams, warning Connoquenessing officials that their ordinance violates the First Amendment.
ACLU attorney Rich Ting said Williams was told to get a permit to place a political sign on his property and that signs could only be up for a limited period of time. In his letter, Ting cited the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, which said laws regulating the content of signs are constitutionally suspect.
“Requiring a permit for non-commercial signs on private property is a First Amendment violation,” Ting said.
Connoquenessing Township Solicitor Andrew Menchyk said the township could not comment on pending legal matters or specifically address the matter involving the ACLU, but he said the township never intended to infringe on the free-speech rights of residents.
“The township values public discourse through free speech and the important role that it plays in shaping policy,” Menchyk said in a statement. “At no time has the township engaged in any act with the intent of infringing upon the free-speech rights of any citizen.”
Menchyk said in a letter to the ACLU that the township agreed with Ting that Williams shouldn’t need a permit to display his political sign, and added that township officials will likely rewrite its political sign ordinance.
Several other municipalities in Butler County have political sign ordinances on the books. Ting said it is common for Pennsylvania townships to have these kinds of ordinances. He said many were written years ago, and are likely no longer constitutional.
“(The ACLU) would encourage any municipalities with similar sign ordinances in the books to review to be in compliance with the First Amendment,” Ting said. “Residents may see political sign ordinances on the books, and then decide to not put up a sign. But they absolutely do have the right to do so.”
Ryan Deto is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Ryan by email at rdeto@triblive.com or via Twitter .
