1159.11 MUNICIPAL TOURIST ATTRACTION DIRECTIONAL SIGNS.
The City of Aurora provides businesses that are tourist attractions with the opportunity to have Municipal Tourist Attraction Directional (MTAD) Signs. Such signs are intended to provide directional information to businesses in the City that have substantial numbers of customers who reside outside of the City. MTAD signs are erected, owned, maintained, and subject to removal by the City.
(a) Qualifications to Apply. A business must meet all of the following criteria to qualify for a MTAD sign:
(1) Eligible Businesses. Eligible businesses shall be limited to farm markets, wineries, bed and breakfast establishments, lodging facilities, antique, craft or gift shops, and other similar establishments.
(2) Hours of Operation. The business shall have regular hours of operation on site and must be open to the public for at least five (5) days a week, which may include a Saturday or Sunday. Seasonal businesses shall be considered in compliance with these criteria if they satisfy the hours of operation specified when they are open for business.
(3) Affidavit. The business owner shall provide an affidavit attesting that the majority of business clientele are not Aurora residents and that the business generates at least two thousand (2,000) visitors per year.
(4) Business Location. The business must be located in Aurora.
(b) Design Requirements.
(1) All MTAD signs shall be six (6) feet in length and one (1) foot in height (6 sq. ft.).
(2) All signs shall contain only the business name and directional information that the City deems necessary to locate the business.
(3) All signs shall have a green background and white text, or as otherwise required by the City.
(4) The final sign design shall be determined by the City.
(c) Number and Location.
(1) No more than two (2) off-premise MTAD signs shall be permitted for each business.
(2) Specific locations may be requested by the applicant, but the final location shall be determined by the City, subject in part to traffic safety concerns.
(d) Construction Requirements.
(1) All MTAD signs shall be fabricated or purchased by the City and shall remain the property of the City.
(2) The City shall be responsible for installation of the signage.
(3) After being erected, signs shall be subject to further review as necessary by the City to address public safety concerns that arise after installation.
(e) Permits, Fees and Duration.
(1) The applicant shall complete and submit to the Department of Planning, Zoning and Building Division an application with and an initial fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for fabrication and installation.
(2) The initial duration of the permit shall be three (3) years, after which a renewal permit must be obtain for each successive three year period. Applicants shall complete a renewal application and submit the completed application along with a renewal fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250). Each subsequent renewal application shall require a renewal fee.
(3) If a business to which a permit has been issued ceases operation for a period of six (6) consecutive months, all MTAD signs may be removed by the City without further notice.
(4) In the event that a business owner fails to apply for a renewal permit within thirty (30) days after expiration of the permit the City may, but is not required to remove all MTAD signs without further notice to the business owner.
(f) Authority and Enforcement. Authority of the Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Division. The Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Division has the sole authority to administer and enforce Section 1159.11 of the sign ordinance. In this capacity, the Director shall have the authority to review a business owner's application and affidavit to determine if a business qualifies for a MTAD sign and to decide when and if a sign should be removed.
(Ord. 2013-128. Passed 3-10-14.)