ANOKA, Minn. – It’s against the law to draw a hopscotch board on a sidewalk or street in one Minnesota city. Flag drawings, murals and memorials are banned, too.
City council members in Anoka, located northwest of Minneapolis, recently passed an ordinance governing displays on city property, the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis reported.
The law regulates drawing with chalk on streets, sidewalks, buildings, light posts and flagpoles, the newspaper reported. City officials passed the measure by a 4-1 margin earlier this month, according to KMSP.
The ordinance notes that only items that illustrate “governmental expression of the city of Anoka” will be allowed, the Star-Tribune reported. That includes displays, memorials or artwork commissioned or solicited and approved by the city.
Displays of commemorative flags or similar objects based on a request from a third party are not allowed, the newspaper reported.
Council member Erik Skogquist, who cast the dissenting vote, said he agreed with 95% of the ordinance but was concerned about its far-reaching impact.
“I don’t want to make it illegal for a kid to draw on the sidewalk with chalk, which is what we are saying,” Skoquist told the Star-Tribune. “I am not OK with that.”
City Attorney Scott Baumgartner advised board members to take an all-or-nothing approach, noting that making exceptions could become troublesome for the cities, the newspaper reported. Baumgartner cited federal precedent that allows cities to regulate the use of chalk on sidewalks.
Sorry, kids. No more chalk on public property.
“This is silly to say that you can’t have that type of chalk work on the sidewalk,” Mayor Phil Rice said. “But in the case where it is something that is very political or very offensive, I don’t think you can go with a bucket of water and throw it on it without a bigger problem than telling a youngster to paint that hopscotch on the driveway.”
Anoka City Manager Greg Lee told KMSP that the council was trying to strike a neutral balance.
“Our intent is to try and keep the city of Anoka neutral from any political influences and having a third party using our city as a venue to get their message across,” Lee told the television station.
Skogquist said the ordinance is too broad.
“I’m happy I voted against this,” Skogquist told KMSP. “I’m just kind of embarrassed the city had to get to this point.”
