Demolition Day Nears for Unpermitted Racks

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Free expression has its limits even on city streets.


Beginning Wednesday, some of the roughly 3,000 news racks around Los Angeles lacking permits will be taken down by city crews in a blight-clearing effort that also has First Amendment implications.


The Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services crews already have begun placing pink tags on abandoned racks and those that lack current city permits.


Their removal will resolve more than two years of debate on how to rid city streets of visual clutter while preserving the right of publishers to be distributed on public property.


Gary Harris, chief investigator for the bureau, said the removal could take months. To be in compliance, publications must pay $21.69 per rack and agree to paint the boxes a uniform shade of green within seven years.


The rules have drawn criticism from many publishers who argue that the fees and rules will make it prohibitive for all but mainstream publications to be sold or given away on public streets.


Even some mainstream publishers aren’t thrilled.


Norrell Nelson, circulation distribution director for the Daily News of Los Angeles, said the paper likely will have to pay $60,000 a year in city fees for its 2,500 racks while removing some. “We may have to give up some locations,” Nelson said.


The racks the company may remove may violate a provision of the regulations that limit the number of racks within 150 feet of each other and on a city block, he said.


Newspaper officials grumbled about the regulations in city hearings. They said they would infringe on free speech, but did not take legal action to block the regulations.

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