Eastchester Suspends Sign Violation Enforcement Pending Review

EASTCHESTER, NY — After threatening an Eastchester family with fines and possible imprisonment, the Town of Eastchester is going to take another look at its sign ordinance. A news release from Supervisor Anthony Colavita said that the building and planning and law departments have been directed to begin reviewing and analyzing the decades-old ordinance to "update and clarify provisions therein, particularly regarding residential properties."

The release said that drafts of the proposed ordinance will be made available before a public hearing or any action by the town board.

Colavita said he asked the building and planning department to suspend enforcement of violations on residential properties until an updated code is adopted.

The issue started when Dan and Avisia Brown put up a banner on the house where they live that said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," which is a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dan Brown later found a note in the dirt alongside his home from the town's building inspector. It said they could be fined up to $1,000 a day or be imprisoned if the banner wasn't taken down.

Avisia Brown said she was informed by the town that the banner could be put back up but received no information about how the regulation will change, the Journal News reported.

She was also not told whether the sign was ordered to be removed because of its content, due to the fire code or for some other reason.

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