10 Days Later, Illegal Leasing Signs Remain
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
May 18, 2015
Last week the Wave reported that Town Zoning Administrator Larry DiRe had slapped a red violation notice on the new “Now Leasing” sign in front of the old Cape Charles High School. Dated May 7, the notice ordered the sign to be “brought into compliance immediately and in any case within not more than 10 days.”
That would be by May 17. But 10 days later the only sign that’s been removed is DiRe’s original Public Notice shown at right.
VDOT does not allow signs on public right-of-way, and the “Now Leasing” sign has been moved to the other side of the sidewalk. But the town ordinance limiting the size of the sign to 4 square feet continues to be ignored: the sign is three to four times larger than allowed.
DiRe missed another sign violation (or maybe he just ran out of room): only one real estate sign is permitted on a single residential lot. But there are now two illegal signs occupying one residential lot — lot 423 at the corner of Plum and Madison. (See county tax map at right and second “Now Leasing” sign below.)
Last week the Wave noted that “DiRe has only been on the job a matter of weeks and apparently was unaware that Old School developer J. David McCormack gets carte blanche (including free water).”
It appears that Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek has now explained that fact to DiRe, and there will be no more red violation notices.
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Panek also explained to the town Utilities billing department that no water bill is to be issued to McCormack, despite the town ordinance requiring all properties with a water hookup to be billed a minimum of $108 per month, whether any water is used or not. McCormack has owned the school since December 2012 and has yet to receive a bill. And his contractor is in any case using free town water in the interim, as the hose hookup shows at left.
This seems a good time to quote Town Councilwoman and Planning Commissioner Joan Natali: “Why have an ordinance if you are not going to enforce it?”
The other illegal sign — this one at the corner of Plum and Madison. (Wave photos)
Illegal signs are okay I guess if you are Bob Panek’s buddy, J. David McCormack. As well as no water bill for all these months, Mr. McCormack’s building won’t be generating much tax revenue now that he had the building reassessed. All that glitters is not gold, and the building’s new “1 bedroom” apartments are not going to generate much in the way of taxes for a very long time.
The parking lot in front of the building is also against the Historic Guidelines — but what the heck, who really cares anymore?