'Banner Wars' May Have New Battle Erupting

“Banner Wars” is over.

Or is it?

The city has ordered political group Capistrano Common Sense to take down the banner it hoisted at the Northwest Open Space, visible to all who drive the I-5 between Junipero Serra Road and Avery Parkway.

Leaders from that group had said they had objected to the San Juan Capistrano Open Space Foundation’s banner advertising the future dog park its building and its website address.

When city officials said city law accommodates the private group’s banner on the publicly owned property, Capistrano Common Sense members reasoned they could have a banner, too.

So their banner went up last week.

And not long after, city code enforcement officials demanded it come down.

A hearing was held Monday, and Wednesday a decision was rendered: The banner must come down.

And so it has.

But Clint Worthington, a spokesman for Capistrano Common Sense, said his group will appeal the decision to the City Council.

“This is truly not about a banner. It is about different rules for different people.  The [Open Space Foundation] does not have a permit for the banner,” he said.

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