Let there be light
“Hello Red Phone. How do I go about reporting a street lamp at my house that’s not working anymore? The street is pretty dark to begin with, and without this one lamp, it’s really dark now. Please let me know. Thank you.”
Red Phone:
Sure thing, good caller. Report street lamp problems to the city’s Operations Department at 846-0444.
Not-so-hot tamales
“Hi. Lately I’ve come across people selling food items, like tamales, in some local parking lots. The people are basically selling food out of their cars. Is this legal? It seems there would be some sort of health violation.”
Red Phone:
This topic was covered not too long ago in its column. Sgt. Kurt Svardal of the Gilroy Police Department said the individuals are required to have a business license. Anytime you are distributing food the health department needs to have been involved, he said.
“I would strongly caution people against making those purchases,” Svardal said.
To report these instances, call the police department at 846-0350 or the Santa Clara County Health Department at 299-6060.
Signs everywhere
“Is it illegal for people to hang up signs, yard sale signs, on telephone poles? Or can we put them up as long as we take them down? Everyone does it, but I’ve heard both that it’s legal and illegal. So what is it, Red Phone? Thanks.”
Red Phone:
It’s illegal, so read on: Gilroy’s Zoning Ordinance 37.31 Prohibited Signs:
“Placards, posters, announcements and similar signs attached to any fence, pole, tree or any other object in a public thoroughfare, except those of an official nature authorized by a City Ordinance. Any sign which conflicts with any rule, regulation or order of the California Public Utility Commission pertaining to the construction, operation and maintenance of public utility facilities.”
According to www.municode.com, regarding fines, “Any person … who violates any of the provisions of this Code or who fails to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of this Code is guilty of an infraction, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as set forth below. Except as otherwise provided, every such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation is committed, continued or permitted by such person, and shall be punishable accordingly. Any violation of this title or of the codes incorporated thereunder, following three prior convictions therefor, shall constitute a misdemeanor.
(a) For a first violation, the violator shall be charged with an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding $100.
(b) For a second violation within one year, the violator shall be charged with an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding $200.
(c) For a third violation within one year, the violator shall be charged with an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding $500.
(d) For each additional violation, the violator shall be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by both.”
So the bottom line, caller, is that it is indeed illegal to post signs on telephone poles and those who do such can be fined.
