By Layla Hoot, San Clemente
Apparently John Alpay, who knows San Clemente’s sign ordinance, blatantly abuses it. Our new 2-year resident, Mike Mortenson, who should know it, does not.
I say this because they have already planted many of their campaign signs illegally on public property. The commercial property where Mike Mortenson’s quite large sign is displayed happens to be owned by a huge developer. Oh and by the way, it is right next to Jim Dahl’s very large sign. Just a coincidence?
In order for a yard sign to be placed legally in San Clemente, a candidate must have the support and permission of the property owner. As an example, you will notice driving around town, there are many #1 Bob Baker campaign signs and Chris Hamm campaign signs planted legally in the yards of friends and neighbors private property.
Every sign is planted at the exit or entrance to the freeway, on a greenbelt or tucked in some grassy area, is in violation of our City sign Ordinance. We should elect candidates for office that respect and obey the laws governing the town they wish to represent.
Thank you Chris Hamm and 1 Bob Baker for respecting the rules of our city. Apparently you DO have friends and supporters that are NOT developers.
Thank you for educating the rest of us on San Clemente’s sign ordinance. You mentioned only a select few candidates. Another candidate who seems to abuse it is Steve Lang. Just this week I’ve seen a number of his signs at the entrance of the freeway on Vista Hermosa, on the corner of Marblehead Inland Park at Vista Hermosa and Via Turqueza, the entrance to Talega Village Center as well as several signs along the center traffic divider along Vista Hermosa.
It’s well known that Mike Mortenson has driven around town, and personally picked up his signs that may have been put out innocently by some of his supporters. I have also heard him say to please let him know if you see one of his signs illegally placed, and he will see that it is removed. Mortenson has many banners on businesses in San Clemente that have asked to show their support for him. Why don’t San Clemente business owners support Bob Baker??? I’ll tell you why- San Clemente businesses and residents are tired of Bob Baker always voting NO NO NO. It’s time we say NO. NO to Bob Baker! I’M VOTING FOR MIKE MORTENSON.
Mortensen signs were put in my lawn in Riviera without my permission! The guy is a pro toll road, new in town, pro bad development candidate.These are facts.This town has roundly rejected the toll road Mr. Mortensen– and the lab—- go away.
I am baffled by how Mrs. Hoot can use the fact that local San Clemente businesses are not supporting Chris Hamm and Bob Baker as a PRO for voting for the two candidates! Does she live in San Clemente? Doesn’t she want to support the businesses that are here? I do. Those businesses are a vital part of how San Clemente operates. Without the local business, there would be very little (to no) growth in San Clemente. On the contrary, the fact that local businesses are showing support for Mike Mortenson and Jim Dahl affirms that that there is substance to these candidates. Mike Mortenson and Jim Dahl want a better San Clemente! That is great! I am 100% supporting San Clemente and, in-so-doing, voting for Mike Mortenson and Jim Dahl.
By the way, I see quite a few (hundreds) of Mortenson and Dahl signs throughout the local residential communities. I think the fact that residents AND businesses understand the value in these candidates speaks volumes and the deafening silence on the other side – the little to no business support for Bob Baker is quire remarkable. Mrs. Hoot, thanks for pointing that out!
Not that it matters, but Mike Mortenson is actually a 3 year resident of San Clemente. To state that Mike does not know San Clemente’s sign ordinance is inaccurate. I know for a fact that Mike has asked his supporters to not place his signs on public property (i.e.: freeway entrances). He has also personally removed signs that he saw were being placed in public spaces. That is the type of pro-active approach I like about him and that is why he has my vote.
I know Bob Baker and Chris Hamm like to state they only have signs in friend’s yards but that is just NOT true. Drive past the Valero station on Palizada off the freeway, I see a Bob Baker sign and a Chris Hamm sign. Is the owner of Valero a personal friend or neighbor? Or, you can drive past a couple of gas stations on Estrella and see Chris Hamm signs. If we are assuming that Mortenson and Dahl are backed by developers because they have a sign there, I guess it is also safe to assume that Baker and Hamm are being supported by big oil companies!!
Mike makes it very well known that he supports business and that’s why business support Mike. I do not appreciate Baker and Hamm claiming they only have signs on friends and neighbors lawns when that is clearly false. If they lie to us about where they have their signs what else are they lying to us about?
Mortenson is not only endorsed by Mayor Everett, Councilwoman Donchak and Councilmen Dahl, but also by former Mayors Haggard and Ritschell, in addition to scores of other public officials and involved citizens. In addition, he’s endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce, the Orange County Republican Party, the Lincoln Club of Orange County and more. These folks know the real “facts” about Mike, which is why they, and thousands of other San Clemente residents, support him.
If you want to know the facts about Mike Mortenson go to his website so that you can learn more about him. http://www.mikemortenson.com.
And now it has begun. Last night Bob Baker supporters tore down a Mike Mortenson banner on the corner of El Camino Real and Ave. Del Mar. In addition, three lawn signs in front of Del Mar businesses were stolen.
Ah yes, the memories of Measure A.
Remember less than two years ago when Bob Baker supporters stole hundreds of lawn signs, slashed banners, egged peoples’ homes, harrassed small business owners and painted offensive graphics on the Miramar Theater?
Well folks brace yourselves – it was only a matter of time before this classless mob decided to reinstate such tactics in this election. In the meantime, Ms. Hoot, please be sure to point fingers at the other guy.
Measure A signs were stolen by kids that didn’t like giving away our land and beach parking. Yes, they are expressing their opinions in the wrong way, but someone is obviously making their view heard. Don’t blame the campaign(s) here. You know better.
Bill, you know very well that it was discovered that kids were taking the signs for Measure A. I was present when you admitted that.
You make things up and you then you cry foul. Just like you all made the fake candidate, Bob Baker,(0) run. Only this time, you went too far. Committing fraud against the voters with a fake candidate is much more serious than your fake “they stole our signs”.
Each and every one of you that signed that petition for fake Bob Baker should have to pay every cent the incumbent Bob Baker has to expend to counteract your misfeasance.
Bill– I have to speak up—-What happened to you man? Why spread these lies? Dahl has got to go– he is a complete waste of space.
Urban Sprawl Dahl== more roads, more traffic, and the WRONG KIND of commecial development. We can do better!
VOTE for Hamm and Bob Baker #1.
I can blame Bob Baker’s campaign for stealing when a supporter, wearing a Bob Baker #1 t-shirt, took election materials at the Farmer’s Market yesterday. This woman, walked up to Jim Dahl’s table when she thought no one was looking, stole a whole stack of materials and then walked across the street to throw them away!!! Luckily, people were watching her and were able to retrieve the materials. This is a grown woman stealing materials, not kids. Bob Baker and his supporters should be ashamed of themselves. They have no problem spinning the truth, telling lies and apparently stealing.
Whoever took Jim Dahl’s pamphlets took them from a table where they were ‘offered’ to the public. You can’t steal something that is offered. I saw them sitting out to take.
What people should really be upset about is campaign fraud committed by Jim Dahl to sponsor a fake candidate and prevent the voters of San Clemente a fair and decent election. This is the character of the person you have sitting on your city council. This is truly what he thinks of the voters.
Baker and Hamm are pro business all the way. But I think they just have a much more elegant view of how that might look. Two beach towns, San Clemente and Montecito. Ever been there? Ever wonder why SC has an abundance of shabby? It is because of a history of folks on the council like Urban Sprawl Dahl. Look at the projects created in the looooong time he has been there. Many are dreadful. And he wanted the lab strip mall, loves the toll road and sadly the Marblehead mess. You don’t see ANY of that nonsense in the upscale and thriving Montecito because the approach was far better. I love development. I just think it should be done well. So do Baker #1 and Hamm.