“When they took my Sign, they Kind-of Put a Hole in my Heart”
Lloyd Turner bought a building at 641 Wade Hampton Boulevard in 1986 and opened Cameras Unlimited at that location.
On March 7th, 2013, he received a certified letter from Bryan Wood, Zoning Administrator for the City of Greenville. The sign on his property had been declared dilapidated.
Section 19-6.6.2(0) of the city code defines a dilapidated sign as “a sign that the administrator has determined is structurally unsound, has defective parts, or is in need of painting or maintenance.”
The City’s paid public servant saved his choice words for the veteran business owner for the last paragraph: “If the required corrective actions are not completed by the stated date, administrative summonses may be issued for you to appear in Municipal Court. For each violation you may be punished by a fine of not more than $1,205.00 and/or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days. Each day any violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.”
It was the first letter from the city, but the last straw for Lloyd Turner.
For a few years he had a partner, but he eventually bought the partner out.
He made a number of improvements to the existing facility, including the addition of a dark room. The facility had previously been a drive through record shop.
Lloyd Turner has the last retail photography business in Greenville where you can get valuable information and help regarding photographic equipment you buy. After Saturday, Cameras Unlimited will be closed to the public forever.
Turner is 68 years old, has 50 years photography experience, including 43 years in retail with 28 years at the present location. It began in the United States
Navy right after high school.
His navy assignments included Guantanimo, Cuba.
He had 5 heart bypasses and 5 stints in recent years, but looks fit and remains active in Southern Heritage organizations. As a navy veteran, he had a special interest in the H.L.Hunley project in Charleston.
Why is Lloyd Turner closing the doors on the business he loves? It has a lot to do with his love of country and God-given freedom guaranteed by the United States Constitution that is being eroded by government overreach.
“When they took my sign, that kind-of put a hole in my heart,” Turner said last Friday. “I thought about it and prayed about it for about a month and a half. The city sent me a letter in December telling me they were going to plant two trees out front. They were to be on the right of way, and therefore I had no say-so in the matter. They politely told me I had no part in deciding what kind of trees or anything else.
“About the middle of March I got a registered letter from them telling me they had condemned my sign. The sign had been here since 1977 and had been grandfathered. I would repaint the sign about every four or five years. I was about ready to paint it again. They found some paint flaking off the sign and declared it had structural damage and gave me less than a week to bring it up to code.
“It costs a lot of money to fight the city and I don’t have that kind of money. They threatened to fine me $1,205.00 per day or 30 days in jail if I did not remove the sign or bring it up to their specifications in less than a week from the time I received notification,” Turner said.
“I paid $250. to have the sign cut down with a chain saw,” he concluded.
The trees the city planted are underneath the power line and will have to be cut down some day, Turner observed. However, the city has an expensive plan to bury the power lines. That may come in time to save the trees.
“The problem with this town is that they have art and image on the brain. They are interested in trees, bicycle lanes, flowers and art festivals. At one time businessmen ran this town. Now they have 7 members on that council. Five are women and two are men. They think they are on the art council.”
Lloyd Turner is not opposed to art; in fact he has his painting supplies together and plans to get back to painting as soon as he closes his doors to the public. He is also planning to do some work on the building and cleaning out the store over the next few months.
He is not quite ready to retire. His wife will retire in two years and he may officially wait until then to retire.
