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Smyrna council unanimously denies Atlantic Billboards’ permit appeals, citing timing and ordinance violations
Summary
After a two‑hour hearing, Smyrna’s mayor and council unanimously denied multiple appeals by Atlantic Billboards, finding several appeals untimely and upholding community development denials on substantive zoning and sign‑code grounds.
Franklin Lemon, an attorney representing Atlantic Billboards, told the Smyrna mayor and council that his client submitted 10 sign‑permit applications on March 28, 2024, and that the city failed to provide written notice within the 45 business‑day period required by the city’s sign code.
"The city shall process all applications within 45 business days and shall give notice to the applicant of its decision by hand delivery or by mailing a notice to the address on the sign permit application on or before the 45th business day," Lemon said, quoting the code and arguing the city did not hand‑deliver or mail the notices to Atlantic’s address.
Lemon pressed several legal theories in support of reversing the denials: the procedural deadline in the sign code; the claim that several proposed sign locations sit on…
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