GCC Newspaper Racks

City of Glendale — Regular Meeting (2021-05-11)

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City of Glendale 
Proposed City Code Newspaper Dispensers 
  
 
25-25 Newspaper Dispensers 
(A) 
Definitions 
Distributor means the person responsible for placing and maintaining a newspaper rack, the 
owner of the newspaper rack or the publisher of the newspaper or advertising circular vended 
therein. 
Lock box means a fixture or equipment providing secure delivery of newspapers or other news 
periodicals or advertising circulars for use or sale by commercial customers and is not accessible 
to the general public. A lock box may be similar to a newspaper rack but with the coin operating 
mechanism removed and a locking system installed. 
Modular newspaper rack means a fixture or equipment providing multiple self service or coin-
operated boxes, containers, storage units or other dispensers installed, used or maintained for the 
display, sale or distribution of newspapers or other news periodicals or advertising circulars. 
Newspaper dispenser means a newspaper rack, lock box or modular newspaper rack. 
Newspaper or news periodical means any publication that contains news reporting. 
Newspaper rack means a fixture or equipment providing a singular self-service or coin-operated 
box, container, storage unit or other dispenser installed, used or maintained for the display, sale 
or distribution of newspapers or other news periodicals or advertising circulars. 
Public right-of-way means right-of-way conveyed or dedicated to the public to be used for a 
public purpose. 
Sidewalk means any surface provided for the exclusive use of pedestrians or motorized 
wheelchairs. 
Street means that part of a right-of-way utilized for vehicular traffic, whether designated as a 
street, highway, thoroughfare, lane or place, or otherwise designated, including access drives for 
conveyance of vehicular traffic. 
 
(B) 
Placement. Newspaper dispensers may be located on a public sidewalk subject to the 
following provisions: 
(1) A horizontal path of at least four (4) feet wide shall remain unobstructed to allow for 
pedestrian travel along the sidewalk. 
(2) No newspaper dispensers shall be located: 
a. Within twenty (20) feet of the intersection of two (2) public streets; 
b. Within five (5) feet of any marked crosswalk; 
c. Within five (5) feet of any driveway; 
d. Within five (5) feet of any fire hydrant or any other emergency facility; 
e. Within five (5) feet of any bicycle rack; 
f. Within two (2) feet of any curb where parking is allowed;  
g. At any location where the newspaper dispenser causes, creates, or constitutes a traffic 
hazard, as deemed by the chief of police or designee; 
h. As measured parallel to the flow of traffic, within five (5) feet ahead of or within 
twenty-five (25) feet to the rear of any sign or pavement marking designating a bus stop;

i. At any location where the newspaper dispenser obstructs or interferes with access to or 
the use of abutting property; 
j. Within five (5) feet of any display window or in such a manner as to interfere with the 
reasonable use of such a window for display purposes; 
k. At any location where the newspaper dispenser obstructs access to any public or 
private facilities that require access to serve the public need, including but not limited to 
utilities; 
l. At any location where the newspaper dispenser conflict with the accessibility 
regulations;  
m. At any location where the clear space for the passage of pedestrians would be reduced 
to less than four (4) feet wide; or 
 
n. Within a median, which is defined as a landscaped or paved island in the center of the 
 
public or private street. 
 
p. Also, newspaper dispensers shall not be chained or otherwise attached to any tree, 
 
bench, sign post, or other fixture or structure whatsoever. Newspaper racks and lock 
 
boxes may be secured to each other by vinyl coated cable. 
 
(C) 
Appearance and Maintenance 
(1) No newspaper dispenser shall be used for advertising signs other than to promote the 
newspaper, periodical or other publications contained therein. Any permitted advertising sign 
shall either be painted on the newspaper dispenser or enclosed in or made of a waterproof 
material and kept free of tears, peeling or fading. The permitted advertising may only appear 
once on each side of the box. An advertising sign promoting the publication or special edition 
may be placed on one side of the box. 
(2) Each newspaper dispenser shall be maintained in a clean, neat, and attractive condition and in 
good repair at all times. This shall include but not be limited to: 
a. Free of graffiti; 
b. Reasonably free of dirt, grease, and rust; 
c. Free of chipped, faded, cracked, or peeling paint; 
d. Display windows shall be unbroken; and 
e. All mechanical mechanisms shall be maintained in sound working order. 
f. Coin-operated newspaper racks and modular newspaper racks shall be equipped with 
a coin return, which shall be maintained in good working order. All coin-operated 
newspaper racks and modular newspaper racks shall also post the name, address, and 
telephone number of the person responsible for reimbursement in the event of failure 
of the coin mechanism. 
g. No person shall sell, offer for sale, or keep or maintain any newspaper or news 
periodical in any newspaper dispenser on any sidewalk in such manner as to expose 
to the public view any photograph, cartoon or drawing, contained within such 
publication, displaying specified anatomical areas or specified sexual activity as 
defined in section 21.2-4 of Glendale City Code. 
h. The name, address, and telephone number of the person responsible for receiving all 
notifications pertaining to the use of a newspaper dispenser shall be permanently 
displayed on a label on the exterior of each newspaper dispenser.

i. If a newspaper dispenser remains empty for a period of 30 continuous days, it shall be 
deemed abandoned and may be treated in the manner as provided in section 25-25 D 
for newspaper dispensers in violation of the provisions of this chapter. 
 
(D) 
Enforcement 
(1) 
Any newspaper dispenser installed, used, or maintained in violation of the provisions of 
this chapter may be, after ten working days notice to the person designated pursuant to 
subsection 25-25 C.2.h above, removed by the city and stored in any convenient place. 
The notice shall give the distributor the opportunity to first cure the violation or to be 
heard at a code enforcement hearing, as determined by the city manager, in reference to 
such violation. After removal of the newspaper dispensers, the distributor shall receive 
notice thereof. Upon failure of the distributor, following such notice, to claim the 
newspaper dispenser and pay the expenses of removal and storage plus administrative 
expenses within 30 days after notice, the newspaper dispenser shall be deemed unclaimed 
property in possession of the city and may be disposed of pursuant to Glendale City Code 
2-249. 
(2) 
The code official, field operations director, chief of police, or designee may summarily 
 
remove any newspaper dispenser where its installation, use or maintenance poses an 
 
imminent or immediate danger to pedestrians or vehicles, creates a health or safety 
 
hazard for pedestrians or vehicles, or otherwise unreasonably interferes with the safe use 
 
of any public right-of-way or other public property. After the removal of the newspaper 
 
dispenser, the distributor shall be notified thereof. Upon failure of the distributor, 
 
following such notice, to claim the newspaper dispenser and pay the expenses of removal 
 
and storage within 30 days after notice, the newspaper dispenser shall be deemed 
 
unclaimed property in possession of the city and may be disposed of pursuant to law.