Political signs are visible in American Canyon, even though the city’s law on where they may legally be placed remains in limbo.

The city’s sign law headed for court two years ago, when City Council candidate Paul Maguire said the city’s ordinance violated free speech principles. Among other restrictions, the law states that the signs cannot be displayed more than 90 days before an election and cannot be posted in the public right-of-way.

In June, Joseph Spero, a San Francisco-based magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, ruled the city’s ordinance is unconstitutional.

The city’s sign ordinance will be revised to comply with the court order, American Canyon City Attorney Bill Ross said recently. The City Council could consider the new ordinance in June, he said.

But that is after the June 3 election, which includes a four-candidate race for the Napa County supervisor seat that represents American Canyon.

As signs for candidates such as Rich Jager and Keith Caldwell go up, some believe the city’s rules are as clear as mud.

American Canyon City Manager Rich Ramirez refers questions about the signs ordinance to Ross, who said this week the city’s current ordinance remains valid and enforceable.

In case there is a complaint, the city staff will take pictures of the offending signs and forward them to the city attorney, he said.

Mayor Leon Garcia said the city is looking forward to bringing more clarity and less ambiguity to the rules.

“It’s a work in progress, let me put it that way,” Garcia said.

City Councilman Don Callison, who ran for office in 2006 when the dispute erupted, said he made sure he had permission from private property owners before posting a sign.

Three of the candidates running for District 5 county supervisor — Keith Caldwell, Rich Jager and Gary Simpson — said they post their signs on private property after asking permission from property owners, and stay clear of the public right of way.

American Canyon City Councilmember Cindy Coffey, who is also running in District, has no signs posted.

Caldwell said he is operating under the assumption that the original American Canyon political ordinance is in place.

Jager said he places signs in traditional locations and that nobody has complained, he said.

Signs on the city’s busiest thoroughfare, Highway 29, are regulated by Caltrans.

Larry Kudrna, owner of Larry’s Custom Truck Toppers on Highway 29, said he allows candidates to post signs on his business fence. So far, Caldwell, Jager and Simpson have posted campaign signs on Kudrna’s fence along Highway 29.

He only wants to be fair, said Kudrna, who’s giving up part of his advertising space.

“Just because the sign is on my fence, (that doesn’t mean) I’m ... going to vote for him,” Kudrna said.