Sign wars conspiracy

(Times photo / Scott Keeler)

Just checked in with Todd Yost, the director of St. Petersburg's codes compliance assistance department. Yost's department is the one which, among other things, track and monitor political signs.

Yost said the city is monitoring the political signs popping up for against the new stadium proposal, and said the city is removing signs that do not meet city code.

In short, here are the basic rules:

* Only one sign per lot, unless you're on a corner. Then you can have two --- one on each side.

* Signs cannot be placed in the grass between a sidewalk and the road. If you don't have a sidewalk, the sign must be six feet from the curb.

* The signs have to be removed one week after the election. In this case, if there is a referendum, that's not until November. If there isn't a referendum, we should know June 5 at the earliest.

Comments

[Lee]

The Rays are going to get a stadium at some point. It might as well happen now, as the price tag for it will only go up in the future. Look at the Bayway Bridge disaster. If they had just built the bridge in 1997 as the planned it would have cost HALF of what it will not cost to build.

[get-smart]

New Waterfront Stadium: Baseball the way it was meant to be.

So Who Goes Without A/C? Let me see!

Taxpayer Paid Rays Exec Corp Offices: Yes or No
Team Locker Rooms: Yes or No
Restaurants: Yes or No
VIP Suites: Yes or No
Press Box: Yes or No
Mens/Ladies Rest Rooms: Yes or No

[Old NE Resident]

yea.. build it but we're NOT paying for it! I will leave my sign up for as long as I feel it is necessary. If the city wants to ticket me - then so be it! It'll end up to be cheaper for me to pay the ticket for having a yard sign than it will for me (and my children and their children and their childrens children) to pay for that new stadium that we will ALL be paying on until god knows when!!

[P]

Are you kidding me? At EVERY major intersection in the city there are a handful of illegal signs: "We Buy Houses," "Avoid Foreclosure," "Handyman Special" (always a scam), "After school Karate" - every one of them an eyesore and taking money away from businesses who choose to advertise legally - yet the city is going to clamp down on those with 2 signs in their yard to state an opinion on where they stand?

Whether you favor the stadium or not, you have to know that Code Enforcement priorities are WAY out of line.

[Tim]

It has been interesting how many Blue and White signs are popping up all over the city. I may be wrong, but they have only been out a week, where as the red signs have been being distributed for a month and a half

[Thom]

I find it hilarious that so many of you criticize someone for being wealthy. Has it ever occured to you that they worked hard to get to where they are. You assume if someone is wealthy they "must be evil." This seems to be the mindset of the people that pervade this area. They can't fathom that wealth can be achieved through hard work, a career plan etc...
Some people have chosen to take the easy route or have made unwise decisions and therefore can't stand when one achieves success.

[rick]

I know its off the sign lawn story but...Taxpayer = no new stadium ...non-Pinellas taxpayer = need new stadium. Truth it will cost a lot more than they are saying, always does, and we will get a lot less for trop. site. This isn’t a good time to try to sell or develop a piece of property. Its going to cost us big time 450$ million plus, and the parking they have is only going to be for the well connected ,the rest of us will have to take shuttles ...I won't go there if I cant park there. Even if we could afford it, the site is to small and not a good fit .If we are going to spend that kind of money we better have a site that works for all ,not one that we are trying to put square pegs into round holes. I do have an idea though if they find real parking {maybe a deal with the airport lands north –west corner for parking} and want to spend our cash …put one third of it into the bay over bayshore dr. And build it on pillars with outfield out into the bay stands over looking the bay.

[Joe T.]

Anyone who went to the last baseball game game (ever) at Al Lang field should know what a bad idea it is for a new outdoor stadium downtown. The streets were clogged, the parking was non-existent (people came from more the 10 blocks away), and the weather was excruciatingly hot.

Let's see: The Trop has ample parking, is very accessible (only a few blocks from I-275), and is air conditioned. Let's let common sense rule!

[get-smart]

Thom - I have no problem with people becoming wealthy when they actually produce something. Gates/ Microsoft: Jobs/Apple: they produced. What did the Rays owners do? Did they save lives? Invent a time machine? Cure cancer? All they did was stand in a money machine and stuff there pockets with our money and we let them get away with it through the Fed. Please, just Google "goldman sachs treason." If these people lived in China, Russia or Iran they would have been executed for treason. They outsourced our jobs and they control the commodities where as they will now push oil to $200/bbl. This is pure greed at the expense of our country. These people only care about them selves. These guys are of the same ilk as the crooked ex-governor of New York. Believe me this is an argument you cannot win. Cheers!

[Jim]

Let's build the new ballpark! Let's get rid of those angry red signs while we're at it. GO RAYS!!!

[Sean Tennant]

Go Rays! New stadium here we come!

[J]

How about we let the Rays go play in a city where people like to go to games. They are winning and playing great, but...no one cares. A new stadium isn't going to attract more fans. And without more fans, it's a waste of money. It won't bring more business downtown. New uniforms, new players, new coaches, winning games, it doesnt matter...it's a lost cause. Give up the team to a more deserving city.

[get-smart]

Your right J. They should find a city of suckers that are willing to further enrich these greedy NY Goldman Sachs investment bankers who became wealthy by aiding and abetting the outsourcing of our American jobs to China and now $200/bbl oil.

[Right on J]

The Rays are 6 games over .500, won 5 straight, 10 game home win streak and the stadium still has chunks of empty seats. Yankees fans still outnumbered Rays fans tonight. The franchise has turned a corner and the fans don't seem to care. This is not a baseball town and it is very expensive to drive from Tampa, Clearwater, Sarasota, or Orlando. How can a new stadium be a winner? Fans need to show up!

[Russ]

The Trop is a fine place to see baseball. They've made it a lot less "gray" than it used to be inside. The turf is better... the food is great. Prices aren't bad.

We might need a new stadium in 10 years, but for now it's just fine.

[Joe Six Pack]

I'm gonna put a PRO STADIUM sign in not-so-smart's lawn every day for the next friggin' 6+ months!!!

[Chuck]

Anyone interested in going on a St. Pete POWW Sign Raid meet Saturday night at Mastry's at midnight.

I'll be wearing a red shirt that says "Save the Sea Grass!" and my business accociates will be wearing their Goldman Sachs uniforms.

I'm open to suggestions on what to do with the signs once they're in our possession.

[Andy]

Chuck, come take the sign off of my lawn. I'll feed you and your "associates" to my dogs.

[Bruno]

Get-Smart: Did they really outsource our jobs or were they forced to? Have you ever thought about the fact that when government forces a minumum wage increase or increases bus tax for those who refuse to work then they have no other alternative. If people woudl put more stock in their career plan and their lives then then wouldn't be as easily affected. For instance, It's not how much you make it's how much you save. Did you ever think about that? Did you think about that before you chose to blow off school and follow the Grateful Dead??

[Chuck]

Wow Andy! You must really be against the new stadium if you're considering murder in an effort to defend your POWW signage.

Forget it everyone! The POWW Sign Raid has been cancelled due to death threats from Andy. Everyone feel free to meet me at Mastry's for a Manatee Hunt instead. Bring your rustiest knife!

12 am sharp!

[Chuck]

Joe -

I wasn't aware Section 8 tennants were allowed to put signs in their yards. We don't want to get get-smart in trouble.

[Paul]

Chuck, why would it matter if someone was on Section 8? Its their home right? That means they get to put whatever sign they want in their yard. If you rent a property, it is your home and you have many, many rights regardless of who actually pays the rent for you.