Kyle Brooks, a local artist, says DeKalb County code enforcement officers have a beef with the art he has installed in his yard.

The county says the issue isn’t a commentary on the artistic merits of what’s in Brooks’ yard. It’s about the size of the installations.

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Brooks, who goes by the professional name of BlackCatTips, made a Facebook post on May 1 that quickly went viral.

“The lead code enforcement officer told me to my face the items I have built and painted in my yard are not ART,” he wrote in the post that’s been shared more than 700 times. “He pointed and said ‘That is not art!’ He told me my self expression on my own property was ILLEGAL. He said there was an anonymous complaint.”

Decaturish left a message with Brooks seeking comment.

Brooks said he’s going to court on May 23 to address the citations and has removed his art, for now, but not before leaving a parting message for DeKalb County …

In a statement to Decaturish, county spokesperson Sarah Page said, “Mr. Brooks was issued three citations after a complaint was filed with DeKalb County Code Enforcement. The three citations relate to the size, not content, of the signs on the residential property. Mr. Brooks’ court date is May 23 to determine the validity of the violations.”

The alleged code violations are:

21-3.A: (a)   Except as specifically excluded from the provisions of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to post, display, substantially change, or erect a sign in the unincorporated county without first having obtained a sign permit or any other permit required by this chapter or other ordinances of the county.

21-13.1: (1)   Lots used for residential purposes other than for apartments, condominium, mobile home, or townhouse developments shall not have an aggregate sign area greater than twenty-four (24) square feet per lot. Flags and banners shall not be included in the calculation of aggregate sign area. Subdivision and entrance signs shall not be included in the calculation of aggregate sign area.

21.13.4: (4)   Ground signs having a height of greater than four (4) feet above the grade level of the adjacent street to which the lot on which the sign is located as measured from the top of the sign, pole or support included, or three (3) feet above ground level, as measured from the top of the sign, pole, or support structure to ground level, whichever is greater, are prohibited, with the exception of subdivision signs and entrance signs.