Old School ‘Now Leasing’ (with Illegal Sign)
(Wave photo)
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
May 11, 2015
Everything about the Old School giveaway has been either illegal or underhanded, so no surprise that the NOW LEASING sign was also put up illegally.
The sign is erected on VDOT right-of-way, to begin with. During last year’s heated local elections, town officials were instructed to alert VDOT to campaign signs posted in public right-of-way areas, and the signs were removed. There was no “10-day warning.”
The sign is also some four times larger than the 4 square feet allowed.
The only surprise is that Cape Charles’s new zoning administrator, Larry DiRe, slapped a warning notice on the sign. 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).
The notice reads: THIS SIGN IS IN VIOLATION OF SECTION 4.1.H.2.A ZONING ORDINANCE, SECTION 4.1.D.2 ZONING ORDINANCE. MUST BE REMOVED AND/OR OTHERWISE BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE IMMEDIATELY AND IN ANY CASE WITHIN NOT MORE THAN TEN (10) DAYS — SECTION 4.1.C ZONING ORDINANCE.
LARRY DIRE
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
What is the fine for illegal signs?
There is no fine. CLICK to read the Zoning Ordinance, which says that if the sign is not removed within 10 days of the notice, the town may remove it at the owner’s expense. The owner has 30 days to reclaim his sign. In the case of subsequent violations the town may remove the sign without waiting 10 days. –EDITOR