Flat Rock landlord's vulgar street sign enrages neighbors

FLAT ROCK, Mich. (WJBK) - An angry landlord uses the f-word against the city of Flat Rock - painted on a sign for all to see.

The sign reads: "The city of Flat Rock f----d up my front yard and won't fix it."

"See what a friendly town we are," quipped Cheryl Hammond. 

An apparently furious Flat Rock land lord is using public profanity to get back at the city for the mess left on his front lawn.
 
"This is not the first giddy-up and go around we've had with him," Hammond said. 

Although he doesn't live in the city, he apparently owns First Heritage Realty on Huron River Drive. A winter water main break caused a mess of dirt out front of his property. Then, this week he put his sign on display.
 
"I'm appalled by it," Hammond said. "If you're an educated person you can find other ways print up a sign.

"Thankfully someone took it in their own hands and spray painted (over) the vulgarity."

Hammond and other neighbors say they became particularly upset when learning a funeral precession had to drive by earlier this week and see it.

"Ugh, really, where's your integrity as a business man," Hammond said.

She said that right after someone covered the crude words, the owner was outraged and took action.

"He has gone and filed a police report," she said. "And he's gone to City Hall making complaints about it."

FOX 2 contacted the landlord, but did not receive a response. 

The Flat Rock Building Department said Friday there are no local ordinances that can dictate what is put on a sign, they can only regulate square footage. Although, the city attorney is now looking into the matter.
 
"I have no problem with you voicing your anger in any shape or form," Hammond said. "But there is a better way to go about it."

And as far as his lawn goes, the director of the city's Department of Public Services John Lancaster says that he needs warmer weather to fix it.  He said temperatures have to be in the 50s for a week or two before work can be done, because the ground is still frozen.
 
"Its winter," Hammond said. "Go through the proper channels. We all have to do that. He's not special."

Lancaster added he never once said he wasn't going to clean this up and of course, he and the city still plan to.

Hammond, is hoping that landlord is watching.

"Be an adult, you know," she said. "It's not necessary."