Opinion ID: 1505912
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Department of Housing and Community Development

Text: On August 29, 1980, the same day DLII revoked petitioner's permit, DHCD sent him a letter stating that the sign violated Article 14, § 1405.2 of the Building Code, 12 DCMR § 1405.2, revoking his permit pursuant to §§ 109.2(1) and 109.3 of that Code, 12 DCMR §§ 1902(1), 109.3, and directing him to remove the sign within five days or to face further enforcement action. Petitioner replied with a copy of his counsel's letter of September 3 to DLII, saying the matter was under investigation. On September 24, counsel sent DHCD a copy of his letter of that date to DLII saying petitioner considered the matter closed. On September 30, DHCD ordered petitioner either to take down the sign within 21 days or to show cause why he should not be required to do so. Otherwise, DHCD, by authority of D.C.Code § 5-313 (1973) (recodified as id., § 5-513 (1981)), would cause said condition to be corrected and assess the costs against petitioner. In response, on October 10, 1980, petitioner's counsel wrote DHCD, saying that the September 24 letter to DLII (copy to DHCD) detailing reasons for considering the permit revocation invalid shows cause why permittee should not be required to remove said sign. Counsel requested a meeting to discuss the matter. On November 17, 1980, petitioner and his attorneys met with DLII, DHCD, and Corporation Counsel officials and worked out an oral compromise and settlement. Although the terms of that agreement are in dispute, it appears that petitioner agreed to remove the sign in consideration of the District's agreement to expedite the certificate of occupancy for petitioner's hotel and to bear part of the cost of removing the sign. Dissatisfied with the District's slowness in processing the certificate of occupancy, petitioner did not remove the sign. During 1981, petitioner and his counsel met numerous times with District officials but did not resolve the matter. On November 30, 1981, DHCD sent petitioner a letter giving final notice that the sign must be removed within ten days and stating that, if he did not do so, the District would contract to have the sign removed without further notice. In reply, petitioner's attorneys wrote to DHCD on December 4, 1981, requesting that DHCD not remove the sign. The letter characterized DHCD's proposed action as legally questionable, suggested an orderly administrative and/or judicial process to resolve the dispute, and requested at least three working days' notice if the District decides to have the sign removed. DHCD replied by letter on February 5, 1982 (which petitioner received on February 8), pointing out that petitioner had had an opportunity to appeal DLII's permit revocation to the BAR and had failed to do so; that his attorney had testified at a special exception and variance hearing before the Board of Zoning Adjustment that the sign was coming down; [2] and that petitioner had promised at the November 17, 1980 meeting with District officials to remove the sign but had not done so. DHCD's letter denied that the District had failed to adhere to the November 17 agreement and informed petitioner's attorneys that the District would immediately contract for removal of the sign.