Car dealer seeks relief from fines for illegal signs
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on February 21, 2006 1:48 PM
A Goldsboro car dealer is asking the city for leniency after he was fined $5,000 for erecting signs that violated the city's sign ordinance.
Hal Howard of Goldsboro Chrysler Dodge Jeep told members of the City Council on Monday night that the signs were erected by a California company his dealership contracted with last year to advertise two sales events. They were mistakenly erected within the city limits, Howard said.
Howard called the fines excessive and asked council members for relief.
"The signs were put inadvertently within the city," he said.
He said he contacted city officials immediately upon learning of the fines in December and tried to correct the issue at that time.
"We've always tried to be good corporate citizens," Howard said.
The city's ordinances do not permit portable signs and city officials confiscated 99 of the dealership's signs.
Council members listened, but did not indicate whether they would consider Howard's request.