The Dunwoody Dino House, which has been a beacon of hope and encouragement for Dunwoody residents and commuters, may be gone soon, because of a single complaint.
However, a petition asking city officials to alter the code to allow for the installations to remain has been circulating with more than 1,200 signatures so far.
The Torres family, who lives on Dunwoody Club Drive, had been inspired by their oldest son’s love for dinosaurs and started putting up the inflatable dinosaurs in the yard during the pandemic to “provide hope and inspiration and kindness to the community,” Lisa Torres said.
However, a complaint lodged by someone sparked Dunwoody city officials to cite the Torres under the Georgia Code of Ordinances 20-34.
The complainant, according to Torres, said “there are too many signs in the yard. I counted 12, and one of them is too big.”
The family has until Sept. 20 to take down the inflatables. Torres said currently there are only three dinosaurs in their yard.
A statement by the Dunwoody city officials confirmed the action.
“In response to an email complaint sent to the city, the homeowner was given a courtesy notice by code enforcement indicating the inflatables in the yard violate Dunwoody’s sign code,” the statement said. “Our code enforcement is complaint-driven, and we cannot selectively enforce the codes. In response to this case, city leaders have asked staff to look into possible modifications to the sign code.”
Although the family is upset about the citation, “We respect the law and we will take them down,” Torres said.
“I’m not going to fight this,” she said. “This was supposed to be a happy ray of light for people in the community, and I feel that it was completely harmless. I’m just not sure why someone would take this step.”
A petition started on change.org and posted on several social media forums has asked for the city to modify the ordinance that would force the removal of the Torres’ dinosaurs.
“As residents of Dunwoody, Georgia, we come together to support a cause that is close to our hearts,” the petition said. “This petition aims to allow all dinosaur inflatables and supporting signs at the Torres’ ‘Dunwoody Dino House’ on Dunwoody Club Drive to be exempt from permits and added to Section 20-35 under “Signs exempt from permit requirements” within the “Dunwoody, Georgia Code of Ordinances.”
The petition said that the impact this display has had on our community “cannot be overstated.”
“Children excitedly point out their favorite dinosaurs as they walk or drive by with their families. Parents find solace in the positive messages displayed amidst challenging times,” it said. “The Dunwoody Dino House has become a symbol of joy and unity within our neighborhood.”
Torres said she and her family have been overwhelmed by the support from the community and the efforts that have been made to preserve the display. “I was wondering why this was happening and it’s probably because we all needed to see how wonderful most, if not all, of Dunwoody really is,” she said. “You guys are the rainbow that comes after every shower.”
