County May Ban ‘For Sale’ Signs on Cars : Safety: Supervisors are considering an ordinance aimed at eliminating makeshift auto lots in public areas. They are considered a hazard.

SANTA ANA —  County supervisors are considering a ban on “for sale” signs in cars parked along streets, in parking lots or on any other public property in unincorporated areas.

For years, police say, such signs posted in car windows along busy streets have caused traffic snarls, especially on weekends.

Law enforcement officials have posted no-parking signs to stop impromptu used car lots from springing up, but people have found ways around the restrictions.

So supervisors Tuesday will consider a tougher law.

Under the proposed ordinance, according to county attorney Benjamin P. de Mayo, the first violation would result in a fine not to exceed $50. A second violation within the same year would be a misdemeanor with a jail term up to six months or a $500 fine.

Senior county traffic engineer James Swatzel cited stretches of El Toro Road, Alicia Parkway and 17th Street in North Tustin as places where on weekends as many as 40 cars were parked along the road displaying “for sale” signs.

“It has caused some problems when large numbers of cars congregate along the roadside displaying sale signs,” said California Highway Patrol Lt. Mike Bair. “Drivers tend to slow down and view the cars rather than pulling off the highway at a safe place and walking to look at the cars.”

Swatzel, an engineer in the Environmental Management Agency, was emphatic about the safety hazards posed by the makeshift sales lots. Motorists shopping for cars along the roadway make illegal U-turns, stop in travel lanes and slow unnecessarily to get telephone numbers or addresses of owners displayed on the signs, he said.

“Authorities posted signs . . . but the cars for sale just moved on down the block,” Swatzel said. “We ended up chasing them around the county.”

The current ordinance allows owners to park their cars and display one sign no bigger than a square foot.

If the new ordinance wins final approval, sale signs of any kind will no longer be allowed on parked cars.

Many cities in the county have dealt with the problem by requiring sellers to have a business license.