Iconic City Island sign comes down temporarily after complaint

<p>An iconic City Island restaurant sign was taken down over the weekend, causing an uproar in the community.</p>

News 12 Staff

Sep 17, 2018, 9:35 PM

Updated 2,071 days ago

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An iconic City Island restaurant sign was taken down over the weekend, causing an uproar in the community.
A sign for The Black Whale came down Saturday morning, but was put back just hours later after the community rallied for something to be done.
The sign's removal came after a complaint was filed with the Department of Buildings. The DOB says commercial signs over 6 feet must have a permit. The Black Whale sign is 14 feet by 16 inches and was installed without a permit.
This complaint is one of many filed with the DOB that the community is calling "petty infractions" unfairly targeting home and business owners.
Area residents credited Councilman Mark Gjonaj for getting the sign back up and being in touch with the mayor's office to do something about what they call outdated signage laws.
The DOB says the violation is still open and in order for it to be resolved the landlord must either remove the illegal sign or obtain the necessary permit.
The Black Whale has been a staple in the area since 1961.


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