A downtown property owner will appear before the Logansport Board of Zoning Appeals next month in an effort to keep a sign in which he says he has already invested thousands of dollars.
Gabriel Lopez, owner of the Golden Palace on Melbourne Avenue, had appeared before the BZA in June seeking a variance for a sign he had already erected. City planners said the sign was about three times the size allowed under downtown sign restrictions.
Lopez pleaded ignorance, saying he didn’t realize he needed a variance or that his sign violated restrictions.
The board intially denied the variance, but Lopez was back this month, offering to drop the height of the sign to 16 feet. He also agreed to add landscaping to lessen its impact.
Board members seem willing to compromise, but they insisted that Lopez come back next month with an engineer’s report ensuring that the sign is structurally sound. Assuming he does that, the odds are that the board will allow him to keep the sign.
The episode has spurred some criticism of the city’s enforcement efforts.
Some have questioned how a property owner could erect a sign only blocks from the City Building without anyone noticing he lacked the necessary permits. That’s a fair question.
Still, the fact that the city did not notice the violation sooner does not excuse the property owner from following the regulations. If the situation does nothing else, it should serve as a reminder to property owners that they should check with the building commissioner before starting a construction project.
A few have suggested that the process is difficult to navigate, that it’s difficult for a business to avoid violating one of the city’s many regulations.
Frankly, we’re not sure that’s true, but we agree that the city should do all that it can to help businesses navigate the process. It should, as much as possible, provide a one-stop shop where businesses can find out everything they need to know about opening or expanding a business. At the very least, the city should make certain that various boards and offices are not sending out contradictory information.
At the same time, though, it really is incumbent on property owners to do their homework. Acting first and apologizing later should not be a viable practice.
If it does nothing else, the city should deliver that message loud and clear.
Editorials
Sign case offers some valuable lessons
- Editorials
-
-
A positive step for public schools
Indiana is one of 10 states granted waivers last week from provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind law. The waiver appears to be a step forward for schools across the state.
-
An outstanding community effort
United Way of Cass County announced this week that it had raised more than $600,000 in its most recent campaign. The campaign’s success is a testament to the generosity of local residents and to the great work of the United Way and its member agencies.
-
Another step forward for local trails
Local officials broke ground this week on the planned Eel River Run from downtown to Riverside Park. The project will expand a trail system of which the community can be proud.
-
White should not return to office
The conviction of Indiana’s secretary of state on charges of voter fraud has left Republicans and Democrats fighting over who will hold the office. No matter how the fight comes out, Charlie White’s ouster from office should be permanent.
-
A grand success for Indianapolis
The just-ended Super Bowl was the result of decades of preparation. Indianapolis left a great impression on the thousands of visitors who descended on the city.
-
Should schools teach creationism?
The Indiana General Assembly is considering a measure that would allow public schools to teach creationism as long as they include instruction on other reliigious theories. Broadening the instruction to include other religions might address constitutional concerns, but the result might be a class the law’s supporters didn’t envision.
-
Giving every child a chance
Students from Columbia Middle School delivered a message of inclusion in a play last weekend. The message is one that can’t be repeated too often.
-
Testing lawmakers a good idea
A measure requiring drug testing for welfare recipients would also require drug testing for legislators. If lawmakers are going to impose such a requirement on welfare recipients, they should be willing to stand up to the same measure.
-
Peru delivers important message
The city of Peru collected $20,000 last year from property owners who failed to keep their yards mowed. An aggressive enforcement effort can help the city’s finances, but the benefits go beyond dollars and cents.
-
Jail GED program a great step
The issue
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department has begun offering GED
classes for its prisoners.
Our view
The department, and society at large, will see a huge return on that
investment. - More Editorials Headlines
-
A positive step for public schools
Nordic Festival Puts North Korea in Spotlight
'Rumor Has It' Adele's Rolling in the Grammys
Grohl, Grammy Nominees Cut Up on the Red Carpet
Greece Passes New Austerity Deal Amid Rioting
Coroner: Houston Autopsy Results Weeks Away
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
