A Nassau pizzeria owner teamed up with a local artist to try to spread some happiness during the pandemic. Instead, he was summonsed.

The mural was painted on the walls outside Joanne’s Gourmet Pizza and the Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins on Route 25A in the Village of Flower Field.

Building owner Rina DiMaria wanted to brighten things up during what many say are dark times, so he commissioned artist Spencer Stown to paint the ceiling.

“I asked him to…do one of the walls of the building and that snowballed to doing most of the building," said DiMaria.

It took Stown three days to finish the mural. DiMaria was hit with hefty fines the next day.

"I figured it would brighten up this dreary corner and make people smile as they drove by," said DiMaria.

Stown says he doesn’t understand why it needs to be painted over.

“I really don’t think it is hurting anybody,” he told News 12.

Brian Herrington, the mayor of Flower Hill, requested that the building be restored to its previous color. DiMaria says he plans to do that weather, permitting.

“The Village received numerous complaints about newly applied exterior wall paint at the business located on the corner of Middleneck Road and Northern Boulevard. We have been in contact with the owner and we were informed that the exterior will be restored to the same color as before. We have taken appropriate actions per our code and will take further action should that become necessary. The Village is happy to work with our businesses and residents if they would like to alter their buildings, as we have throughout this pandemic, using the processes provided for under our code.”