NATCHEZ — Campaign signs are blooming early this spring, but the City of Natchez won’t be doing any weed trimming.

City code bans the posting of campaign signs before the qualification deadline — which is March 30 — but City Planner Bob Nix said due to inconsistent enforcement in the past, the city won’t be enforcing the code at all this year.

The code enforcement office is on the lookout for signs in illegal locations, though.

Political signs are only allowed on private property with the permission of the property owner or public kiosks, not on public property or in city rights-of-way.

Signs must be five feet from the nearest edge of the street pavement and must also be at least 100 feet from the nearest curb intersection from any street or road to avoid interfering with traffic, Nix said.

Advertising on state-maintained rights-of-way is also illegal.

A sign code enforcement officer has authority to seize signs on public property.

Nix said violations of the sign code are considered a criminal misdemeanor and candidates can be fined up to $100 for each day a violation persists.

Some campaign signs — advertisements that have been traveling around town on the backs of Natchez Transit Authority vehicles — are not subject to the same code enforcement laws though, city officials said.

The campaigns of mayoral candidates Jake Middleton and Larry L. “Butch” Brown have purchased ads on the public buses.

Transit Executive Director Sabrena Bartley said the candidates paid regular commercial advertising rates for the ads.

NTS has a general advertising policy that gives no special discretion to political advertising, Bartley said, but prevents lewd, profane or obscene messages.

Mayoral candidate Phillip West said he was surprised political advertising was allowed on the city-owned buses.

“In my opinion, I would think that political advertisements would be something that wouldn’t be allowed to be put on a public vehicle or facility,” he said.

West said he inquired about purchasing advertising space on the buses, but he said he was told all the available space had already been purchased.

Bartley said the ad space is purchased for a period of no less than three months. She said she was not sure if all the space had been purchased, but she said it is a possibility that there is currently no available space.

Natchez City Planner Bob Nix said the bus advertisements fall under paid commercial advertising, which is permitted to carry a political message, and governed by city code.

Bill Furlow has also qualified to run for mayor.