Opinion ID: 600799
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: constitutionality of the content-based restriction

Text: 10 Content-based restrictions are subject to strict scrutiny. To survive strict scrutiny, content-based restrictions must be necessary to serve a compelling interest and must be narrowly drawn to achieve that end. Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. New York Crime Victims Bd., --- U.S. ----, ----, 112 S.Ct. 501, 509, 116 L.Ed.2d 476 (1991). While Ladue's interests in enacting its ordinance are substantial, see Members of the City Council of Los Angeles v. Taxpayers for Vincent, 466 U.S. 789, 806-07, 104 S.Ct. 2118, 2129-30, 80 L.Ed.2d 772 (1984), the interests are not sufficiently compelling to support a content-based restriction. With respect to the narrowly-drawn requirement, the content-based restriction must be the least restrictive alternative available. See Ward, 491 U.S. at 798 n. 6, 109 S.Ct. at 2758 n. 6. (explaining that the narrowly-tailored test differs according to whether the restriction is content-based or content-neutral). We have no trouble concluding that Ladue's ordinance is not the least restrictive alternative. Therefore, we affirm the district court's holding that Ladue's ordinance is unconstitutional. 11 We also conclude that the district court did not err in refusing to instate Ladue's back-up plan, which provides that all signs not specifically restricted by other parts of the ordinance must be no greater than six square feet. Neither side argued the constitutionality of such a plan to the district court.