Woods Business Owners Gather More Than 2,000 SIgnatures for Repeal of Neon Sign Ban

As of this afternoon, more than 2,000 Grosse Pointe Woods registered voters had signed a petition to repeal the city's ban on neon signs, according to the campaign's leader Alan Domzalski.

Domzalski and his wife, Val, own , which was one of the eight original businesses to lose their appeal with the city to keep their small neon sign that states the business name.

Last week, the city council voted 5-2 to recommend repeal of the ban on neon signs during a special meeting called by Mayor Robert Novitke. The votes were a recommendation because the meeting was a Committee of the Whole rather than a formal council meeting. 

Council will formally vote on the issue tonight. 

Domzalski said more than 30 Woods businesses and several individuals helped gather the signatures. He said the campaign continued even after last week's recommendation by council in an effort to ensure the repeal decision. 

Even if the repeal passes tonight, it wouldn't technically take effect until more than a week into March, but city officials have said they won't enforce the ban. Most of the businesses with neon signs have left them on since losing their appeal before council during the signature-gathering effort. 

The group had 21 days–March 1 is the 21st day–to gather a minimum of 10 percent of registered voter's signatures to get the issue on the November ballot for general election. If they gather 25 percent or more, the council would then be required to repeal the ban immediately or to put it on the November ballot. 

The group easily exceeded the 10 percent goal. While they intend to turn in the signed petition to the city clerk, they will not require that the signatures be verified if the council votes tonight to repeal the ban, Domzalski said. 

He said there wouldn't be much point to continuing the signature effort, but the group couldn't stop its campaign midway through because the newest decision by council on the issue was not formal.