Institute For Justice Challenging Arlington, Virginia’s Unconstitutional Sign Ordinance

The Institute For Justice reports:

Look no further than a lawsuit filed today in Arlington, Va. Entrepreneur Kim Houghton has filed a First Amendment suit against local bureaucrats who want to turn a playful mural Kim had painted on the back wall of “Wag More Dogs,” her canine boarding and grooming facility, into a government-issued sign.

The problem with Kim’s mural from Arlington County’s perspective?

The mural of cartoon dogs, bones and paw prints is an illegal “sign” in the opinion of a county official because its message has “a relationship” to the goods and services that the business provides. If the mural had dragons rather than dogs, Arlington County wouldn’t have a problem with it. But because it features dogs and bones—and Kim’s business deals with dogs—Arlington County considers the mural to be a sign, which is government-regulated.