City to EmX critic: Take down your sign

EUGENE, Ore. - The owner of a W. 6th Avenue business displaying a sign opposed to the West Eugene EmX expansion received a letter from the City of Eugene saying the sign violated city code and needs to be removed by Wednesday.

A city official said the letter, one of several sent out in the wake of complaints, was requested by the sign owners as written followup after site visits by city inspectors.

The letter obtained by KVAL News, addressed to Robert and Brenda Macherione and signed by city code enforcement inspector Sherryl Lockhart, refers to a sign at the Sports Car Shop at 288 W. 6th Avenue.

Macherione owns the store, according to state records. He is also one of the business owners suing the city in an attempt to force a public vote on EmX expansion, according to court records.

"The City received a complaint regarding a sign placed in violation of Eugene Code," the letter reads.

The letter cites Eugene City Code 9.6625 and 9.6615. The ordinances govern sign permits and signs prohibited under city code.

According to the letter, dated April 15, the sign is to be removed by April 20.

However, the letter is not likely a surprise: the city issued the letters after building owners requested the information in writing after visits from code enforcement officers following up on the complaints about 6 weeks ago, according to Laura Hammond, a community outreach specialist with the city's planning and development department.

Hammond did not know how many letters had been sent out. She said property owners have until Wednesday to obtain a permit for the sign or take it down.

She was not sure what would happen if they did not obtain a permit or remove the sign.

Hammond said the sign ordinance governs the size and location of signs, not the content.

Watch Arrianee LeBeau's report on the situation to hear Robert Macherione's concerns