City employees got right to work this past weekend enforcing the new Simi Valley sign ordinance.

According to City Manager Mike Sedell, 630 illegal signs were taken down on Sunday during the city's well-advertised roundup, and that didn't include probably hundreds more taken down voluntarily by business and property owners beforehand.

"It shows that this is a program the city takes seriously and we are working it," Sedell said.

Under the new ordinance, temporary signs are no longer permitted in the public right-of-way. Also, for buildings with more than 250 feet of tenant space frontage, no more than three onbuilding signs are allowed.

Other changes include requiring permits for temporary commercial signs on private property, except those placed by charitable organizations, as well as new standards for freestanding monument signs and real estate signs.

Often using business phone numbers taken directly from signs around the city, public works employees spent most of Thursday, Friday and Saturday undergoing an information campaign to notify possible violators what the ordinance was and that it was going to be enforced.

"We gave them the opportunity to take down the sign, and if they didn't, we did," Sedell said.

For the most part, the city manager said, code enforcement officers were met with little resistance.

"Most were very cooperative; others were not," he said.

Those unwilling to follow the new ordinance are subject to fines that could get as high as $500 per day of violation for severe repeat offenders. The base fine is $100.

"The city will provide them with a notice and order, and if they do not comply, then it will move into fines," said Debbie Solomon, director of community services. "Occasionally you get someone who is doing aggressive marketing and just doesn't care and continues to do it. That's when fines can provide an effective remedy."

Councilmember Glen Becerra said he was very pleased with the city's quick response. He said the new ordinance represents the will of the citizens of Simi.

"This is what our residents wanted-a clutter-free, clean community-and that's what we're providing them," Becerra said.

For more information regarding temporary sign regulations, call (805) 583-6769 to request a brochure or to speak to city planning staff.