CORALVILLE - A Coralville business man got a rude awakening from the city Tuesday. He arrived at work to find most of the signs saying his flooded business had temporarily moved were missing. Businesses in several flooded communities have put up signs telling their customers if they are open, closed or moved to a new location. In Coralville, most of the signs have been swiped because they break city rules.

It appears to be business as usual for Barkalow Realtors. The staff is working in an office on the north end of Coralville. It is a temporary office, replacing the building flooded last month. For weeks Tracy Barkalow has had signs telling his clients where they could find him. But Tuesday morning, the city yanked them out of the ground. Barkalow said, "Just to come and take our signs is a little out of character and a little ridiculous."

Coralville Building and Zoning Official Jim Kessler pulled the signs without warning Barkalow or anyone else. A city staffer says illegal signs are pulled all the time without notice. And Barkalow's signs were illegal. First, he says his signs were in the right-of-way along the strip. That is a Coralville no-no. Second, he did not apply for a 30-day temporary sign permit. Barkalow said, "It was frustrating this morning to get a response from the professional building and zoning people that we don't care and we're gonna bill you."

Barkalow says if he put his signs back up Kessler threatened to fine him $750 fine per day per sign. Barkalow is upset because he had no sense his signs would disappear. Another business owner told TV-9 most businesses ignored the permit because of flooding. And he is grateful the city waited weeks to remove the signs instead of taking them after two days.

Jim Kessler says many of the signs he removed were from out-of-town contractors. He also says he works with organizations to help business owners know the city's sign rules.

Email Steve Nicoles at Steve.Nicoles@kcrg.com