Park Ridge Council Votes to Repeal Sign Ordinance After Councilman Hoffman is Charged with Violating the Ordinance
On 9/8/26, Park Ridge Council voted 3-0 with two abstentions to repeal Ordinance 101-34.C.8, the Ordinance that bars political signs (and all other non-governmental signs) from public property.
The vote, along party lines, included abstentions by Councilmembers Hoffman and Mintz, with Councilman Metzdorf absent. The fact that Councilman Hoffman abstained suggests he is aware that his co-sponsorship and subsequent votes in favor of the repeal, prior to his 9/8 abstention, were, indeed improper.
On 9/28, charges against Councilman Hoffman for allegedly violating Ordinance 101-34.C.8 and a related charge of driving while using a cellphone will be heard at the Westwood-Hillsdale Municipal Court. It remains to be seen whether or not the Court will dismiss the charges on the basis of Council's repeal of the sign ordinance on purported constitutional grounds.
At the 9/8 Meeting, resident Howard Fredrics spoke in opposition to the proposed repeal, in particular on the basis that a member of Council had been charged with violating the very Ordinance being considered for repeal, and since other members were also implicated in violating the Ordinance. Fredrics noted that Courts are loathe to pursue charges based on laws that have since been repealed, particularly when they are repealed on purported constitutional grounds.
A video of Dr. Fredrics' address along with subsequent votes to repeal the Ordinance are available at:
https://youtu.be/0P1CsLLHXL0?si=olRM7Gp7_KicpLxi&t=152
A copy of the address to Mayor and Council may be found here:
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