Oswego brick mailbox ban to continue

Oswego plans to continue its ban on brick mailboxes.

The issue was discussed at the Sept. 19 Oswego Committee of the Whole meeting. Brick mailboxes are not allowed under federal law.

As Development Services Director Rod Zenner told village trustees, the village in 2008 passed an ordinance establishing rules and regulations regarding the placement and design of curbside mailboxes for single-family houses in the village. The regulations follow the requirements of the U.S. Post Office and the Federal Highway Administration for height, setback and post material.

“I don’t think there is a compelling argument as to why we should now allow them.”

—  Oswego Village Trustee Karen Novy

Brick mailboxes are considered a roadside hazard.

“The village had several brick mailboxes located throughout the village that were in existence prior to approval of the ordinance,” Zenner said. “These mailboxes were specifically outlined in the ordinance by address and grandfathered in and were allowed to remain. All future mailboxes have been required to follow the regulations.”

Zenner said that since the passing of the mailbox ordinance, the village has monitored the installation of new mailboxes in the single-family residential developments.

“If village staff observes the installation of a brick mailbox, staff would contact the owner and have the mailbox removed,” he said. “Residents comply and remove the mailbox and install a new box in compliance to the regulations.”

Recently, he said that some residents who have installed brick mailboxes have requested the village consider allowing them, although they violate the U.S. Postal Service and Federal Highway Administration regulations.

Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said the village has done a good job of enforcing the ordinance.

“Usually a neighbor will call and we go out and ticket them and they remove it,” he said. “So we’ve denied them or made people remove them numerous times over the years.”

Trustee Karin McCarthy-Lange was against lifting the ban.

“I don’t see why we would go against what we have in place right now,” she said.

Trustee Karen Novy agreed.

“I don’t think there is a compelling argument as to why we should now allow them,” Novy said.

Village President Ryan Kauffman said he was more worried about violating federal law than changing the village’s policy.

“That to me is the 800-pound gorilla in the room,” he said.