Traverse City Man Puts Up 36-foot Donald Trump Sign, City Orders it Down

A homemade Donald Trump campaign sign, 36 feet in the air in Traverse City.

Michael Witte put the sign up in his backyard about a month ago.

This week, he received a letter from the city zoning administrator about it.

9&10’s Caroline Powers and photojournalist Harrison Light have more details on the purpose of the sign and how the city is responding.

As we get closer to this year’s presidential election many people are putting camp gain signs in their front yard, bumper stickers on their car, but one man is showing his support on whole new level.

“Into January I was pretty well convinced that Donald Trump has a purpose to serve this country,” says Michael Witte.

Michael Witte says he’s never really been interested in politics, but this year was different.

After looking into each candidate he decided Donald Trump was for him, and he wanted to show his support in a big way.

“Just got some plywood and sawed it out. I think they’re six inches wide and three by three, and I just took some white paint and put some red paint on top,” Witte says. “Lot of people come by and take pictures. I’ve only had one woman that didn’t like the Trump that voiced it to me.”

Not everyone in the neighborhood is happy about it.

“It blocks the view of the beach and it’s huge,” says Kendal Fifield. “So you could just stick with the normal sign that everyone else does and I think get your point across. I don’t think it needs to be that large.”

The city says yard signs are limited to six-square-feet and 42-inches in height.

So Witte’s needs to come down.

“Just the one T is probably 6-square-feet and it’s on a 36-foot tall ladder so a little higher than 42-inches,” says Dave Weston, zoning administrator, City of Traverse City.

“I’m happy with what happened here and I’m happy that when I take it down it’ll still be seen or known,” Witte says. “I’ll probably put a little bit of something up right here that’s the right size.”

After the city contacted Witte this week, he did agree that the sign will come down on Sunday.

The sign is located on the alley behind KFC, off of Front Street.