(The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON) A sign for the Independence Goes Green campaign on Dixie Highway in Waterford Township, at the Independence Township border

Iggy, the mascot for Independence Goes Green, is a big frog — apparently too big to be allowed on residential properties in Independence Township.

“When we got the big signs, neither of us were aware of the size limitations for signs,” said Jim Reed, a member of Independence Goes Green.

The group is supporting a proposal on Tuesday’s ballot that would raise property taxes by 0.45 mills. If approved, the money will be used to purchase open spaces.

Reed and Tom Pytel, a local veterinarian who spearheaded the effort, printed five large signs featuring the cartoon frog and encouraged people to vote yes for the proposal. At 32 square feet, they were too large to be legally placed on residential properties in the township.

“The group knows what they’re doing is against the law, but apparently that is OK with them,” said Michael Powell, who called the township ordinance officer regarding the oversized signs.

Powell is the leader of Citizens Against Taxes to Buy Vacant Land, a group formed in August to fight the proposal.

Both Pytel and Reed deny their opposition’s claim that they knowingly disobeyed the township’s sign ordinance.

“This is our maiden voyage, for both Tom and I, as far as being political,” Reed said.

On residential properties, the township ordinance requires political signs to be no larger than 16 square feet and no taller than four feet.

Signs on commercial property are permitted to be 32 square feet and no taller than six feet.

Independence Goes Green’s 32-square-foot signs were placed around the township last Thursday. Soon after, Pytel received e-mails complaining about the size.

“I called Independence Township and spoke to Mr. (David) Poole, and he said, ‘Yeah, it’s too big,’ ” Pytel said.

Poole is the township’s zoning inspector.

“We took two down that day and moved the other one, and then I changed them all to comply with the rules,” Pytel said.

Because the signs are made of a hard plastic, Pytel used a circular saw to cut the signs down to a legal size.

“To date, the corrections have been made and there aren’t any violations at this time,” Poole said.

But the group’s opposition said there’s still one more illegal sign out there.

“One of them they moved into Waterford, and their ordinances are even more strict that in Independence,” Powell said.

One of the 32-square-foot signs was placed on commercial property owned by one of Pytel’s relatives just outside of the township’s border along Dixie Highway.

“(Waterford) Township’s ordinances require a maximum not to exceed eight square feet,” said Bob Vallina, Waterford’s community planning and development director.

Vallina said a code enforcement officer will stop by the property to see if it is in Waterford Township and if the sign complies with the ordinance.

“If we’re in violation and the township tells me, we’ll correct it,” Pytel said. All together, the experience of being in the political arena has been a bizarre one, Pytel said.

On the other side, “We just want to keep these guys honest,” Powell said.



Contact staff writer Karen Workman at (248) 745-4643 or karen@oakpress.com.