As election season rolls out and campaign signs begin popping up all over the local landscape, it’s good to know the city’s guidelines for for placing them.

According to Cindy Sommer, a code enforcement officer for Mount Dora police, here’s what you can—and can’t—do:

• One sign per candidate per property. You can place a sign for every candidate you support, but only one per candidate.

• Signs can’t be put up before candidates qualify for the election.

• For residences, the sign has to be what is called a snipe sign, meaning it sticks into the ground. The sign can be no more than 4 square feet (eg., 2′ x 2;) For commercial properties, the size limit is 4′ x 4.’

• Signs are not permitted in the right-of-way (the area from the sidewalk to the street, or where there are utility or telephone poles, or electrical boxes).

• If there’s no sidewalk, the right of way is defined by utility poles.

If a sign is placed wrong, Sommer says, she’s authorized to remove it, but usually she just relocates into fair territory.

So far, she says, it’s been a fairly quiet season, with no reports yet of stolen signs.

If you have further questions about signs or want to complain about a situation, Sommer is the person to contact. She can be reached at (352) 735-7177.

David Cohea, Writer (david@mountdoracitizen.com)