Posted on 12/19/2001 5:23:09 PM PST by Wife of D28Man
EAST COVENTRY - As Wednesday, Dec. 12 dawned bright and crisp, township Christmas tree farmer and vendor John Neborak got in his truck and drove around his Ebelhare Road neighborhood.
There were still 10 days left ot his once-a-year selling season, but Neborak, obeying a township order, set out to take down all of the signs he relied on to steer customers looking for that perfect Christmas tree to his rural farm.
After the signs were down, Neborak wondered how many evergreens he might end up mulching because they went unsold.
He worried that finding the way to his farm would be more than tough for out-of-towners or even locals looking to purchase a locally grown Yule tree.
Soon after his signs came down, however, a funny thing happened...
Neborak said he noticed signs cropping up on neighbors' front lawns, saying things like "I bought my Christmas Tree at CovenTree Farm, 1 and 1/2 miles ahead," and "My Friend Sells Christmas Trees, 1 Mile Ahead."
"The signs are illegal for me, but I guess they aren't for my neighbors," said an amazed Neborak after an East Coventry board of supervisors meeting Monday night.
Neborak was overwhelmed by the support he has received from friends, neighbors and perfect strangers who have read or heard his story - about East Coventry's zoning officer forcing him to take down the directional signs because they violated the township's sign ordinance.
The signs were just the latest show of support for the longtime township tree farmer, who said the order could have ruined his season and forced him to consider selling his farm for development.
But thanks to the kindness of neighbors and others determined to find his farm - signs or no signs - Neborak's season still has been a success, he said.
Neborak had sold so many trees at the end of last week that he ran out of mature trees to cut and sell - and he's got some 9,000 trees planted on six acres - and had to make a special trip to the mountains to buy more.
"I've had people come who had never been here before, and they told me they looked for me because they wanted to support me," said a grateful Neborak.
"Those people have told me, after running around the countryside and finally getting to me, they know why I do need my signs," he said.
East Coventry supervisors had not been as sympathetic when they advised Nevorak at a Dec. 3 meeting they could not circumvent the order issued by the code enforcement office.
Saying he only needed the signs for 25 days, his selling season, Neborak had asked supervisors at the Dec. 3 meeting if there wasn't a way to "work out" the problem so the signs could remain standing until the last weekend before Christmas.
Supervisors at that time said they could only extend the deadline for removing the signs to Dec 12. Neborak complied because he would have been fined if he hadn't.
Board members also advised him to seek a variance or special exception to the ordinance to avoid the same problem next year.
But Neborak was before the board again Monday night to ask supervisors to find another way of allowing directional signs like his and those used by Parkerford Baptist Church rather than forcing them to go through the long and expensive zoning appeal process.
Parkerford Baptist Church, located on Baptist Church Road, is also off the beaten track, and was also ordered to remove its directional signs.
....After hearing Neborak's concerns, and those from church representatives who also attended because of the sign issue, supervisors decided to change the sign ordinance...
Congressman Billybob
This should be turned into an animated Christmas special, with the bureaucrats featured in the Grinch/Burgermeister/Scrooge/Abominable Snowman/Heat Miser roles.
Which is the way these problems should be resolved.
I'm half waiting for someone to complain about the skeleton of Osama hanging from our tree with the Osama bin Deadin sign below it.
ROFLOL! Now why would someone complain about that?! LOL!
If I lived in her neighborhood, I would put it up anyway.
The reaction where we are has been great for the most part.
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