Current Development — September 21, 2026
Ontario Campaign Sign Compliance: Residents Report Wapner and Trinidad Signs on Public and HOA Property
2-Minute Summary
Wapner Watch has received multiple communications from Ontario residents reporting campaign signs associated with Alan Wapner and Larry Trinidad at locations along Riverside Drive and at or near City and HOA/community property.
Residents returning to work and school Monday morning reported seeing signs at multiple locations and questioned whether the signs were placed with the authorization required by Ontario's political-sign regulations.
Wapner Watch has submitted a written complaint requesting that Ontario Community Improvement / Code Enforcement determine: the ownership and status of the reported locations; whether signs are on City property or within public rights-of-way; whether required property-owner authorization exists for signs on private property; whether HOA/common-area authorization exists where applicable; whether the signs comply with Ontario's Development Code; and what enforcement action, if any, is appropriate.
Important: The photographs document the physical presence and placement of the pictured signs. Property ownership, right-of-way status, permission, who placed the signs, campaign authorization, HOA authorization, and whether a violation occurred remain separate verification questions unless supporting records establish them. The fact that Wapner Watch has not located evidence of authorization is not itself proof that authorization does not exist.
What Residents Reported
What Residents Reported
Communications received by Wapner Watch identified campaign signs associated with Alan Wapner and Larry Trinidad at or near locations including:
- Riverside DriveREPORTED LOCATION
- Westwind ParkREPORTED LOCATION
- Creekside ParkREPORTED LOCATION
- Creekside WestREPORTED LOCATION
- Creekside EastREPORTED LOCATION
- HOA/community property reported by residentsREPORTED LOCATION
Where exact locations can be independently established through photographs, maps, City parcel information, or other records, they will be identified precisely. Where they cannot, locations retain REPORTED LOCATION status. A resident report is not a verified property-ownership determination.
What Ontario's Political-Sign Rules Say
What Ontario's Political-Sign Rules Say
The City of Ontario Development Code, Chapter 8 — Sign Regulations, Section 8.01.020.K governs political signs within the City. The following provisions are directly relevant to the reported locations.
Section 8.01.020.K.3
Political Sign Registration / Statement of Responsibility
Candidates or their authorized representatives are required to register political signs and file a statement of responsibility with the City.
Section 8.01.020.K.5(g)
Private Property Authorization Required
Political signs may not be placed on private property without permission from the property owner.
Section 8.01.020.K.5(i)
Public Property and Rights-of-Way Prohibited
Political signs may not be posted on public property or within the public right-of-way.
Section 8.01.020.K.6
Removal Authority
The Building Official or Community Improvement Manager may remove political signs placed contrary to the applicable provisions.
City vs. State vs. FPPC Jurisdiction
Ontario's Development Code provides the directly applicable municipal political-sign provisions for the reported locations. California Business and Professions Code §5405.3 and related Caltrans requirements address qualifying temporary political signs within the State Outdoor Advertising Act framework, including highway-related restrictions — these are distinct from Ontario's local ordinance. The FPPC administers the Political Reform Act; not every local sign-placement issue constitutes an FPPC violation. Ontario's local sign-placement requirements are administered through the City's applicable departments.
What Wapner Watch Asked the City to Do
What Wapner Watch Asked the City to Do
Wapner Watch submitted a written complaint requesting that Community Improvement / Code Enforcement:
- Inspect the reported locations
- Determine whether the locations are public or private
- Determine whether signs were properly authorized
- Determine whether signs occupy public rights-of-way
- Remove signs found to violate applicable provisions
- Apply ordinarily applicable enforcement procedures consistently regardless of candidate
- Advise residents of the resulting determination
Resident-Submitted Photographs
Resident-Submitted Photographs
Ontario residents have submitted photographs showing Alan Wapner and Larry Trinidad campaign signs at several reported locations. The photographs document the presence and physical placement of the signs. A photograph alone does not establish property ownership, authorization status, who placed a sign, or whether a municipal violation occurred.
Resident-submitted photograph showing a Larry Trinidad City Council District 3 campaign sign in a City-owned parkway in front of the home of Ontario mayoral candidate Kevin Kizzee, September 21, 2026. Wapner Watch has independently confirmed the public-property status of the photographed location.
Evidence Record
- Evidence file
- ww-sign-evidence-2026-09-21-01.jpg
- Date received
- September 21, 2026
- Date photographed
- September 21, 2026 (reported)
- Reported location
- Reported Ontario residential location — parkway/landscaped area
- Candidate on sign
- Larry Trinidad for Ontario City Council District 3
- Source classification
- Resident submission
- Property ownership
- VERIFIED — City-owned parkway
- Authorization status
- Under verification
- Verification status
- VERIFIED PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE — City-owned parkway confirmed
Resident-submitted photograph showing an Alan Wapner City Council campaign sign in landscaping adjacent to a roadway at a reported Riverside Drive location, September 21, 2026. Wapner Watch is verifying right-of-way and authorization status.
Evidence Record
- Evidence file
- ww-sign-evidence-2026-09-21-02.jpg
- Date received
- September 21, 2026
- Date photographed
- September 21, 2026 (reported)
- Reported location
- Reported Riverside Drive location — landscaping adjacent to roadway
- Candidate on sign
- Alan Wapner City Council
- Source classification
- Resident submission
- Property ownership
- Under verification — right-of-way boundary not independently established
- Authorization status
- Under verification
- Verification status
- REPORTED / OPEN QUESTION
Resident-submitted photograph showing Larry Trinidad and Alan Wapner campaign signs within the same landscaped area at a reported Ontario location, September 21, 2026.
Evidence Record
- Evidence file
- ww-sign-evidence-2026-09-21-03.jpg
- Date received
- September 21, 2026
- Date photographed
- September 21, 2026 (reported)
- Reported location
- Reported Ontario location — landscaped area
- Candidate on sign
- Larry Trinidad and Alan Wapner
- Source classification
- Resident submission
- Property ownership
- Under verification
- Authorization status
- Under verification
- Verification status
- REPORTED / OPEN QUESTION
What the photographs establish
The submitted photographs visibly document: a Larry Trinidad for Ontario City Council District 3 campaign sign placed in a residential-area parkway/landscaped area; an Alan Wapner City Council campaign sign placed in landscaping immediately adjacent to a roadway; and Larry Trinidad and Alan Wapner campaign signs appearing within the same landscaped area in another photograph.
What the photographs do not establish
The photographs alone do not establish: ownership of the land; absence of permission; the identity of the person who installed the signs; campaign authorization; illegality; or motive. Motive cannot be inferred merely from location.
Kevin Kizzee Location — Property Status Verified
Kevin Kizzee Location — Property Status Verified
Property Status: Verified
Wapner Watch has confirmed that the photographed campaign-sign location is a City-owned parkway. The sign appears in a public parkway strip — City-owned property — directly in front of the residence of Ontario mayoral candidate Kevin Kizzee.
Applicable City Code
Ontario Development Code §8.01.020.K.5(i) states that political signs may not be posted on public property or in the public right-of-way.
View Original City CodeThe City-owned status of the photographed parkway and the City's political-sign rule can now be independently examined together. Wapner Watch is awaiting or seeking the City's enforcement determination concerning the photographed placement.
Why This Particular Location Drew Attention
Kevin Kizzee is a candidate for Mayor of Ontario in the November 2026 election. [City of Ontario — Elections]
Attributed Statement
Kizzee told Wapner Watch that he does not support Larry Trinidad in the District 3 council race and is supporting another candidate running against Trinidad.
Statement attributed directly to Kevin Kizzee.
This is an attributed statement from Kizzee. Wapner Watch has not independently verified his political-affiliation claim or identified the candidate he supports.
Electoral District Context
The photographed location is within Ontario City Council District 2. Larry Trinidad is running for the District 3 City Council seat.
View Official Ontario District MapBecause District 2 residents do not vote in the District 3 council contest, the placement has prompted questions from residents about why a District 3 candidate's sign was placed at this particular location.
District boundary information is based on the official City Council district map. Wapner Watch is independently verifying the precise district assignment of the photographed location.
Wapner Watch has not identified any provision of law that prohibits a candidate from displaying campaign signs outside their electoral district. The district context is reported as factual background, not as a legal violation.
Why Was the Sign Placed Here?
The location raises a question that the photograph and property records cannot answer: why was a District 3 council candidate's campaign sign placed on a City-owned parkway in District 2 directly in front of the residence of a mayoral candidate who says he supports another candidate in the District 3 race?
Wapner Watch has not established who physically placed the sign, whether Larry Trinidad or his campaign directed or knew of its placement, or whether the location was selected because of Kevin Kizzee. Those questions remain unresolved.
Wapner Watch does not characterize the placement as retaliation, intimidation, harassment, targeting, or deliberate provocation. No evidence currently establishes intent.
Residents Question Whether This Is a Recurring Issue
Residents Question Whether This Is a Recurring Issue
Resident View (Attributed)
Several residents who contacted Wapner Watch expressed skepticism that the reported signs would result in enforcement, citing what they described as their experiences with campaign signage during previous Ontario election cycles.
Wapner Watch Note
Those concerns are resident opinions. Wapner Watch is separately seeking public records to determine what enforcement, warnings, removals, citations, costs, or penalties actually occurred in prior election cycles.
Historical Context
Residents communicating with Wapner Watch have described what they believe is a recurring pattern during previous Ontario election cycles in which campaign signs associated with Alan Wapner or other candidates appeared at locations residents believed were public or community property. Those historical reports are now being examined against available public records.
Wapner Watch has not yet located a public record establishing whether fines, removal costs, citations, or other penalties were issued in connection with comparable prior-cycle complaints. Historical resident reports are distinguished from verified prior incidents. If historical photographs or records are obtained, Wapner Watch will identify: date; location; property type; source; authorization status; City response; and enforcement outcome.
HOA Authorization Questions
HOA Authorization Questions
Wapner Watch is also examining whether campaign activity or signs involving HOA/common-area property received appropriate authorization. If Wapner Watch receives direct confirmation from an HOA, it will identify: the HOA/community; the person providing confirmation; that person's official role; the date; and precisely what was confirmed. One HOA's response will not be generalized to other communities.
OPEN QUESTION — no HOA confirmation received as of September 21, 2026Campaign-Event Authorization: What the Communications Show
Campaign-Event Authorization: What the Communications Show
Wapner Watch has also received information concerning campaign communications with HOA communities. This matter is handled separately from the sign-placement issue. If authenticated records establish that Alan Wapner sent communications to HOA communities concerning campaign events, Wapner Watch will present those records chronologically: the campaign communication; the property-management communication; the HOA/board response; and what authorization had actually been granted at each point. Until authentication is complete, this material is not placed in the Verified section.
OPEN QUESTION — authentication in progressResponses Requested
Responses Requested
Wapner Watch has requested factual responses from the Alan Wapner campaign, the Larry Trinidad campaign, and the City of Ontario Community Improvement / Code Enforcement. Questions asked include: Did you or your campaign authorize placement of the identified sign(s)? Was permission obtained from the property owner? If HOA common property is involved, was board/association authorization obtained? Has Code Enforcement contacted the campaign regarding these signs?
Wapner Watch requested comment and will update this record if a response is received. Silence is not characterized as an admission.
Questions for the Trinidad Campaign
Regarding the Larry Trinidad sign photographed in the City-owned parkway in front of Kevin Kizzee's residence:
- 1.Did Larry Trinidad or his campaign authorize placement of this sign?
- 2.Who distributed or installed campaign signs at this location?
- 3.Was the campaign aware that the photographed location is a City-owned parkway?
- 4.Was the campaign aware that the location is within District 2?
- 5.Was the campaign aware that the parkway is immediately in front of Kevin Kizzee's residence?
- 6.Was Kevin Kizzee's residence relevant in any way to the selection of this location?
- 7.Has the City contacted the campaign concerning this sign?
Wapner Watch requested comment and will update this record if a response is received. Silence is not evidence of motive.
City of Ontario
ACKNOWLEDGED — SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE PENDINGThe City Clerk's Office acknowledged receipt of the complaint on September 21, 2026. The acknowledgment did not address the substantive inspection, authorization, right-of-way, compliance, or enforcement questions contained in the complaint. Wapner Watch will update this record if a substantive City response or enforcement determination is received.
What We Have Verified
What We Have Verified
Ontario Development Code, Chapter 8, Section 8.01.020.K governs political signs within the City and contains the provisions cited on this page.
Wapner Watch submitted a written complaint to Ontario Community Improvement / Code Enforcement on September 21, 2026, requesting inspection of the reported locations.
Resident-submitted photographs document Alan Wapner and Larry Trinidad campaign signs at the photographed locations.
The City of Ontario identifies 3151 E. Riverside Drive as Creekside Park, located at the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Turner Avenue.
City of Ontario records identify 2455 E. Riverside Drive as the Westwind Community Center/Park location.
Government right-of-way material exists for the Riverside Drive / Turner Avenue area. The City of Ontario Engineering Department maintains resources concerning infrastructure within the public right-of-way.
The photographed campaign-sign location in front of Ontario mayoral candidate Kevin Kizzee's residence is a City-owned parkway. The sign depicted is a Larry Trinidad City Council District 3 campaign sign.
The City of Ontario acknowledged receipt of Wapner Watch's September 21 complaint.
Not yet verified
The following have NOT been verified and are not placed in this section: that any sign was placed without authorization; that any violation of the Development Code occurred; that either campaign personally placed a particular sign; that enforcement was withheld in prior cycles; who physically placed the sign in front of Kevin Kizzee's residence; whether the Trinidad campaign authorized or knew of that placement; why that particular location was selected.
What We Are Still Verifying
What We Are Still Verifying
- Exact property ownership for remaining reported sign locations (Riverside Drive locations — Creekside Park and Westwind Park parcel/ROW boundaries)OPEN QUESTION
- Whether each Riverside Drive location is within City property parcel, public right-of-way, HOA common area, or privately owned (Kizzee-adjacent parkway: verified City-owned)OPEN QUESTION
- Ownership/right-of-way status of each remaining photographed location (Kizzee-adjacent parkway: verified City-owned)OPEN QUESTION
- Whether property-owner authorization existed for signs on private propertyOPEN QUESTION
- Whether HOA authorization existed where applicableOPEN QUESTION
- Who physically installed the signsOPEN QUESTION
- Whether installation was directed or authorized by either campaignOPEN QUESTION
- Whether the City received previous complaints involving these candidatesOPEN QUESTION
- Prior City enforcement outcomesOPEN QUESTION
- Whether any separate campaign-finance or FPPC rule is implicatedOPEN QUESTION
- Whether Code Enforcement previously received complaints involving similar signsOPEN QUESTION
- Whether signs were previously removed, and whether warnings, removal costs, citations, or penalties were issued during previous election cyclesOPEN QUESTION
- Who physically placed the Larry Trinidad sign in the City-owned parkway in front of Kevin Kizzee's residenceOPEN QUESTION
- Whether Larry Trinidad or his campaign authorized or knew of the placement at that specific locationOPEN QUESTION
- Whether the location was selected because of Kevin Kizzee's residenceOPEN QUESTION
- Whether the photographed location is within Ontario City Council District 2 (per official City district map — verification in progress)OPEN QUESTION
- The City's enforcement determination concerning the photographed placement on City-owned parkway propertyOPEN QUESTION
Check the Property Records Yourself
Check the Property Records Yourself
Several resident-submitted photographs show campaign signs at or near locations along East Riverside Drive. Determining whether a particular sign was actually located on City property, within a public right-of-way, or on other property requires more than looking at a photograph. Wapner Watch located government property, facility, parcel/GIS, engineering, and right-of-way resources that readers can examine themselves. The records below help establish the governmental identity of certain locations and provide tools for examining parcel and right-of-way boundaries. They do not, standing alone, establish that every photographed sign was located within a prohibited area.
See for Yourself
Wapner Watch does not ask readers to accept a property-status conclusion simply because we say so. Use the government links below to examine the same records:
- City facility records
- City Property Locator
- Ontario GIS parcel data
- Engineering/right-of-way resources
- Applicable political-sign ordinance
Then compare those records with the photographs and reported locations. As additional City records or enforcement determinations become available, this page will be updated.
Why Property Status Matters
The Ontario Development Code treats sign placement differently depending on where a political sign is located. The City's political-sign provisions address signs on private property without owner permission and signs on public property or within the public right-of-way. That makes the precise location of each photographed sign an evidentiary question — not something Wapner Watch should assume from appearance alone.
Ontario Development Code §8.01.020.K — Official Government Source3151 E. Riverside Drive
Creekside Park
The City of Ontario identifies 3151 E. Riverside Drive as Creekside Park and describes the park as being at the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Turner Avenue.
What This Establishes
The City identifies 3151 E. Riverside Drive as Creekside Park.
What This Does Not Yet Establish
This record alone does not establish that a particular photographed campaign sign was physically inside the Creekside Park parcel or public right-of-way. The precise sign location must still be compared with the applicable parcel/right-of-way boundary.
S. Turner Avenue & E. Riverside Drive
Creekside Park — Northeast Corner
The City identifies Creekside Park at the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Turner Avenue. Government right-of-way material also exists for the Riverside Drive / Turner Avenue area.
What This Establishes
Government records provide an authoritative starting point for examining the public-property and right-of-way configuration around Riverside Drive and Turner Avenue.
What This Does Not Yet Establish
The existence of a public right-of-way in the area does not establish that the particular photographed sign was inside that right-of-way. The sign's precise position must be matched against the applicable boundary.
2455 E. Riverside Drive
Westwind Community Center/Park
City of Ontario records identify 2455 E. Riverside Drive as the Westwind Community Center/Park location.
What This Establishes
City records identify 2455 E. Riverside Drive as the Westwind Community Center/Park location.
What This Does Not Yet Establish
This does not, by itself, establish that a particular photographed sign was located within the City facility parcel or public right-of-way. The precise sign location still must be established.
Evidence Comparison
What government records currently establish, and what remains to be verified:
| Location | What Government Records Currently Establish | What Remains to Be Verified |
|---|---|---|
| 3151 E. Riverside Dr. | City identifies the address as Creekside Park. | Whether the photographed sign was within the City park parcel or public right-of-way. |
| S. Turner Ave. & E. Riverside Dr. | City identifies Creekside Park at the northeast corner; government right-of-way material exists for the surrounding area. | Precise photographed sign coordinates relative to property/right-of-way boundaries. |
| 2455 E. Riverside Dr. | City identifies the address as Westwind Community Center/Park. | Whether a photographed sign was within the City facility parcel or public right-of-way. |
Verify an Address Yourself
The City of Ontario provides a Property Locator that allows users to search an address or parcel.
- 1.Open the City Property Locator.
- 2.Search the address.
- 3.Review the returned property information.
- 4.Compare that information with the reported photograph/location.
- 5.Use parcel/GIS information for boundary questions rather than assuming that landscaping beside a roadway is public or private property.
Examine Ontario's Parcel Data
The City of Ontario publishes an official GIS parcel layer containing parcel/APN geometry. This resource can help researchers examine parcel boundaries surrounding reported locations.
GIS information is useful for research and visualization but should not be represented as a substitute for a recorded survey, deed, official right-of-way determination, or City enforcement finding.
Open Official Ontario GIS Parcel Layer — Official City ResourceCheck Right-of-Way & Survey Records
The City of Ontario Engineering Department maintains resources concerning infrastructure within the public right-of-way and provides access to survey-related materials including record maps, centerline ties, and other engineering information.
Parcel question:
Who/what does the parcel record identify?
Right-of-way question:
Does the public street/right-of-way extend into the area where the sign appears?
These are not identical questions. A parcel boundary and a right-of-way boundary may differ.
Documents & Evidence
Documents & Evidence
Wapner Watch Code Enforcement Complaint
September 21, 2026 · From: Wapner Watch — Concerned Ontario Residents
Subject: Code Enforcement Complaint — Political Signs on City and Private Property
This complaint asks City staff to investigate the reported locations and determine compliance. Submission of a complaint does not itself establish that a violation occurred.
Wapner Watch written complaint to Ontario Community Improvement / Code Enforcement dated September 21, 2026, requesting inspection of reported campaign sign locations.
View full-resolution complaintOntario Development Code — Chapter 8, Section 8.01.020.K
VERIFIED PRIMARY RECORDGovernment Property, GIS & Right-of-Way Records
City of Ontario — Creekside Park
3151 E. Riverside Drive
VERIFIED GOVERNMENT RECORD — FACILITY IDENTITYCity of Ontario — Westwind Community Center/Park
2455 E. Riverside Drive
VERIFIED GOVERNMENT RECORD — FACILITY IDENTITYCity of Ontario — Property Locator
OFFICIAL CITY RESOURCECity of Ontario — GIS Parcel Layer
OFFICIAL CITY RESOURCECity of Ontario — Engineering
OFFICIAL CITY RESOURCEGovernment Right-of-Way Material — Riverside / Turner Area
GOVERNMENT RECORDS LOCATED — PRECISE SIGN LOCATION UNDER VERIFICATIONResident Photographs
VERIFIED PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCECity Correspondence
September 21, 2026 — City Acknowledges Receipt
The City of Ontario acknowledged receipt of Wapner Watch's September 21, 2026 campaign-sign complaint. Assistant City Clerk/Records Management Director Claudia Y. Isbell responded: 'Your email has been received.'
Claudia Y. Isbell, MMC, Assistant City Clerk/Records Management Director, City of Ontario
What This Establishes
The City received the written complaint.
What the Response Does Not Yet Address
The acknowledgment does not state whether Community Improvement or Code Enforcement will inspect the reported locations, whether the complaint has been referred for investigation, whether any photographed signs have been determined to be on City property or within a public right-of-way, whether authorization existed, whether signs will be removed, or whether any enforcement action will be taken.
City of Ontario acknowledgment of Wapner Watch's September 21, 2026 campaign-sign complaint. The response confirms receipt but does not contain a substantive determination concerning the reported signs.
HOA Correspondence
PENDINGCampaign Responses
PENDINGCode Enforcement Determination
PENDINGPrior-Cycle Records
PENDINGDevelopment Log
Development Log
September 21, 2026
Residents reported campaign signs associated with Alan Wapner and Larry Trinidad at multiple Ontario locations. Wapner Watch submitted a written compliance complaint requesting City review. Wapner Watch received additional resident-submitted photographs documenting Alan Wapner and Larry Trinidad campaign signs at reported locations, including landscaped areas along Riverside Drive and a location reported to be in front of Ontario mayoral candidate Kevin Kizzee's residence. Property ownership, authorization status, and precise right-of-way boundaries remain under verification where not independently established. Wapner Watch subsequently located City facility, property/GIS and government right-of-way resources allowing readers to independently examine the reported locations. City records identify 3151 E. Riverside Drive as Creekside Park and 2455 E. Riverside Drive as the Westwind Community Center/Park location. Precise sign placement relative to parcel and right-of-way boundaries remains under verification.
September 21, 2026 — Property Status Verified
Wapner Watch confirmed that the photographed campaign-sign location in front of Ontario mayoral candidate Kevin Kizzee's residence is a City-owned parkway. The sign depicted is a Larry Trinidad City Council District 3 campaign sign. Kizzee told Wapner Watch that he does not support Larry Trinidad and supports another candidate in the District 3 council contest. Wapner Watch is separately verifying and documenting the electoral-district context and seeking information concerning who placed the sign and why. Wapner Watch will not publish Kizzee's residential address.
September 21, 2026 — City Acknowledges Complaint
Assistant City Clerk/Records Management Director Claudia Y. Isbell acknowledged receipt of Wapner Watch's written campaign-sign complaint. The response stated, 'Your email has been received.' No substantive response concerning inspection, property status, authorization, compliance, removal, or enforcement accompanied the acknowledgment.
This log will be updated as material developments occur. All updates appear on this canonical page.
Help Document the Public Record
Help Document the Public Record
Residents who observe a potentially noncompliant political sign may assist Wapner Watch's public-record research by providing:
- Photograph of the sign
- Date and approximate time of observation
- Nearest address or intersection
- Side of roadway
- Candidate appearing on the sign
- Whether the location appears to be City, HOA, or other private property
- Any direct knowledge concerning authorization
Important: Document signs from lawful locations only. Do NOT remove, damage, alter, cover, relocate, or interfere with campaign signs. Direct suspected violations to the appropriate City process.
Related Wapner Watch Resources
This page is the single canonical Wapner Watch record for this developing matter. Do not create separate pages for subsequent developments — update this page and its Development Log.