An annual $10 permit fee for every newsrack in the city was approved by the City Council in a 6-0 vote on Jan. 30 as part of more strict regulations that allow the city to remove any newsrack declared a nuisance.
Several council members said the fee was too low. Councilwoman Toni Atkins said the fee will be reviewed in a year and that she may vote to increase it. Atkins said that “$10 is not cost recovery” of city expenses for inspections by code compliance officials, which had been estimated at $9.88 per permit.
The new fee is one of the lowest in a comparison with that of other major cities. Boston imposes a one-time fee of $150 per newsrack. San Francisco charges $30 per year, and Los Angeles charges $21.69 annually. The fee in Pasadena is $40 for the initial application, with a $10 renewal fee. Denver’s fee is $10.
Atkins, who seconded Councilman Jim Madaffer’s motion to install the new permit fee, said one purpose of the new regulations is to ensure that maintenance of newsracks be conducted.
The new regulations call for these changes:
“¢ Newsracks must be free of trash, debris, graffiti and stickers.
“¢ Commercial liability insurance must cover each newsrack.
“¢ Newsracks must meet general safety requirements that would prevent them from becoming a hazard to pedestrians.
“¢ A newsrack will be considered abandoned if it remains empty without a publication inside it for 30 continuous days. The city can dispose of any abandoned newsrack.
“¢ Violations of the new regulations shall constitute a public nuisance.
“¢ Distributors would be required to document maintenance for each newsrack upon city request.
“¢ Any newsrack installed without payment of the permit fee may be removed by city officials.
“¢ Newsracks will be required to provide weather protection for publications, such as doors that would ensure papers not get wet or fly out of newsracks during rainy or windy conditions.
“¢ Publishers and distributors would be required to repair any damage to the sidewalk after a newsrack is removed.
“¢ Only drop-in-type anchor bolts may be used to minimize the risk of creating a tripping hazard after the newsrack is removed.
“¢ A permit may be revoked if more than 5 percent of newsracks are in violation of regulations.
“¢ No refunds are provided for newsracks taken out of service.
Because this is an ordinance, the City Council will vote a second time within 30 days to make it official. It is estimated to go into effect within 45 days. No one on the council opposed the new regulations. Councilmen Brian Maienschein and Tony Young were absent for the vote due to illness.
The San Diego Union-Tribune has 1,094 newsracks. The Los Angeles Times reported it has 650. USA Today has 167 newsracks and the Wall Street Journal has 100, according to a report prepared by city staff for the committee.
City staff estimated there are approximately 1,000 newsracks maintained by other publications.
Two private citizens opposed the plan, with one of them saying it did not go far enough. A newsrack ordinance task force composed of many representatives of publishers and others has been meeting on this topic for several years.
The San Diego Community Newspaper Group, which includes the Beach & Bay Press, Peninsula Beacon, La Jolla Village News, Downtown News and Golden Triangle News, has approximately 123 newsracks located throughout its areas of coverage.
The city’s Land Use and Housing Committee voted 4-0 in August for the new permit and amendments to existing regulations over newsracks.