City gave us bad information

[johnwon2]

What is the name of your state? Florida

I'm in a bind and need some suggestions on next steps...

I'm a local contractor and a customer of mine asked me to install many banners for them. Not sure about this portion of the code, I emailed one of the city examiners. He told me that what I wanted to do was exempt from the local sign code if their are no words on them. I also emailed the head of code enforcement my same question and received a phone call from them stating that he had no issues with what we were wanting to do. SO... I installed the banners.
About a week after installation, one of the city inspectors cited and fined my customer for the banners and gave them a copy of the code where the banners are illegal. My customer feels that I mislead them and of course doesn't want to pay for the banners. I emailed the head of code enforcement to discuss the citation and he's come back and said that there was obviously a miscommunication and that he has to enforce the city code, so the banners must be removed - they are specialty banners that cost thousands of dollars.

Since the 'experts' at the city who are responsible for this area should have known the code and mislead me, can they be held responsible? If so, can I ask for an exemption from the code since they originally told me that they were exempt or would I be better off going after the city for reimbursement for cash damages now that we have a bunch of useless banners that we cannot sell and have already paid for?

Thanks.What is the name of your state?

 

[SHORTY LONG]

Did you show the Inspector your Email communications to their offices?

 

[johnwon2]

yes, I showed them the emails and they said that they were sorry about the miscommunication, but could not ignore something that was in violation of a city ordinance and we must remove them. I've been doing some additional reading and think this may be a case of estoppel since they told me I could do it, i did, then they changed their minds and now it's putting me at a financial loss since I already spend money completing the job. Do you think this is true?

 

[SHORTY LONG]

Personally I think you should make an appointment with the City Manager, and take your
PROOF with you. After this is done, and still know satisfaction (including any Appeals Process)
then, I would contact one of the City Council members who covers this particular area in his or
her duties, and discuss with your proof the matter at hand. After this is fully completed, please
repost with your results, be it good or bad, and we will go from there! Do not put this
off because the clock is ticking.