(a) General. To insure that signs are erected and maintained in a safe and aesthetic manner, it shall be unlawful for any sign designed to be visible from any public street or highway within the jurisdiction of the City of Asheville to be erected or maintained by any person, other than by a sign contractor properly licensed under subsection 7-13-2(b)(2) or by a designated representative of such licensed contractor, except that this requirement shall be interpreted to exclude those persons who construct and erect a principal use identification sign when said sign is used at said person's place of business and to exclude licensed general contractors erecting signs as part of a permitted construction or renovation project; provided, however, in all cases, all erection must be properly permitted and inspected for compliance with the applicable codes of the State of North Carolina and the City of Asheville and with other sections of this article.
(b) Maintenance requirements. The following maintenance requirements must be observed for all signs visible from any public street or highway within the jurisdiction of this article.
(1) No sign shall have more than 20 percent of its surface area covered with disfigured, cracked, ripped or peeling paint or poster paper for a period of more than 30 successive days.
(2) No sign shall be allowed to stand with bent or broken sign facing, broken supports, loose appendages or struts or be allowed to stand more than 15 degrees away from the perpendicular for a period of more than 30 successive days.
(3) No sign shall be allowed to have weeds, vines, landscaping or other vegetation growing upon it and obscuring its view from the street or highway from which it is to be viewed for a period of more than 30 successive days.
(4) No neon or internally illuminated sign may be allowed to stand with only partial illumination for a period of more than 30 successive days.
(5) If a sign or sign structure is damaged due to factors other than vandalism or other criminal or tortuous acts such that more than 50 percent of the value is lost, with such determination made by the sign administrator, any repair or replacement must be done in conformance with this article. If a sign or sign structure is damaged due to vandalism or other criminal or tortuous acts, it may be repaired or replaced, regardless of cost, but must be repaired or replaced as previously permitted or if no permit exists, it must be repaired or replaced to the same specifications to which and with the same materials of which the sign was constructed immediately prior to the act which caused the damage.
(c) Inspection. The sign administrator may inspect all signs for compliance with these maintenance requirements.
(Ord. No. 2369, § 1, 5-27-97)