Huntsville Has A Really Lousy Sign Ordinance

As I do every morning I picked up my copy of the Huntsville Times on my way into work and there, on the front page below the fold, was the news that several local businesses have been in violation of a Huntsville sign ordinance which dates back to 1972. Here is a bit from al.com (truly one of the crappiest newspaper web sites in existence):

Only those aspects that advertise what the business sells or the name of the company have to go from the exterior brick, wood or concrete block walls.

"We had to spray paint over our apples and pumpkins," said Garden Cove health food store Manager Pam Breece. "But the painting of the man can stay. We don't sell men."

[snip]
..."You can't paint your name or product on your structure," Dodson said. "Plain and simple. It's in the code."

I frequent almost all of the businesses cited and have long taken great pleasure in the paintings on the sides of the businesses. Tim's Cajun Kitchen has been one of my favorites and Don Howard's wall murals were especially nice, but they're gone now, the victim to this inane city ordinance. I would have much preferred the ordinance be changed or at least put to a vote by the city electorate. I would bet anything that the Huntsville public would have overwhelmingly voted to keep these works of art visible to all who patronize these businesses. I still may make my call to city hall tomorrow and register my indignation at this travesty!