(A) Sign permit. The following establishes the process for obtaining a sign permit and the criteria by which a sign permit shall be approved.
(1) Applicability. An applicant must obtain a sign permit in order to erect, construct, alter, or relocate a sign, except for certain exempt permanent and temporary signs as specified in this chapter.
(2) Authority and execution. The Building Director shall be responsible for determining compliance with this chapter and for issuing sign permits.
(3) Permit issuance and expiration.
(a) Application for a sign permit for the erection, construction, alteration, or relocation of a sign shall be submitted to the Building Director.
(b) The Building Director shall determine whether the application is complete and examine the plans and specifications for the proposed sign, including any electronic components and the proposed location of the sign.
(c) Within 30 days after the submission of the complete application, the Building Director shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny the sign permit based on whether the sign complies with the requirements of this chapter and all other applicable ordinances of the city.
(d) If the application is denied, the applicant may reapply for a sign permit without incurring an additional fee if the application is submitted within 30 days after the denial or appeal of the decision to the Zoning, Planning, and Development Commission in accordance with § 1252.03(F) (Zoning Appeal) of the Zoning Code.
(e) A sign permit shall expire six months from the date the permit is issued if the work authorized by the permit has not yet begun.
(4) Revocation of permit. The Building Director may revoke a permit if the permittee does not comply with the provisions of this chapter. If the permit is revoked, the permittee shall remove the sign without expense to the city. If the sign is not removed or the condition is not corrected within the required time period, the city may enforce this order through permitted enforcement procedures.
(5) Fees. Every application shall be accompanied by the required filing fee established in the Municipal Code.
(B) Sign insurance. Sign insurance may be required as established by the Municipal Code.
(C) Sign variations.
(1) Purpose. To grant relief from the literal enforcement of the regulations of this chapter that may create hardships or practical difficulties in developing signs in the city.
(2) Applicability. This chapter classifies sign variation applications as either major sign variations approved by the City Council, or minor sign variations approved by the Building Director.
(a) Major sign variations. Any variation that is not included in division (C)(2)(b) of this section shall be considered a major sign variation.
(b) Minor sign variations. The following shall be considered minor sign variations.
1. An increase in the maximum permitted sign area by not more than 10%.
2. An increase in the maximum permitted sign height by not more than 10%.
3. An increase in the number of wall signs permitted per street frontage, provided that the total area does not exceed the allowance established in § 1476.05(B)(9)(c) (Size).
(3) Procedure.
(a) Major sign variations.
1. An application for a major sign variation must be filed with the Building Director with an application for a sign permit. Upon determining that the application is complete, the Building Director shall prepare a report for the City Council based upon the standards of division (C)(4) of this section, and schedule the application for consideration by the City Council.
2. The City Council shall consider the application within 60 days of receiving the application from the Building Director. The City Council shall evaluate the application based upon the Building Director's report, the evidence presented at the public hearing, and the standards of division (C)(4) of this section. The City Council shall take action in the form of approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the application.
3. The City Council may establish conditions upon the location and construction of the sign receiving a major sign variation as deemed necessary to protect the public interest.
(b) Minor sign variations.
1. An application for a minor sign variation must be filed with the Building Director with an application for a sign permit. Upon determining that the application is complete, the Building Director shall evaluate the application based upon the standards of division (C)(4) of this section.
2. The Building Director shall prepare a report and render a decision no more than 30 days following receipt of a complete application and take action in the form of approval, approval with conditions, or denial of the application.
3. Due to the nature of an application for a minor sign variation, the Building Director may determine that the application must be resubmitted as a major sign variation in accordance with division (C)(3)(a) of this section even if it meets the criteria of division (C)(3)(b) of this section.
4. If the Building Director denies an application for a minor sign variation, the applicant may resubmit the application as a major sign variation in accordance with division (C)(3)(a) of this section.
(4) Standards for sign variations. The City Council and Building Director shall evaluate applications for sign variations with specific written findings based on the standards of this section.
(a) The proposed sign variation is compatible with the character and development of adjacent properties and other property in the immediate vicinity of the proposed variation.
(b) The proposed sign variation will not endanger the health, safety, comfort, convenience, and general welfare of the public.
(5) Expiration of sign variation approval. Variation approval shall expire and be revoked if any of the following conditions occur.
(a) A sign permit is not obtained for the sign within six months of approval of the sign variation.
(b) The sign for which the sign variation was approved is removed or replaced.
(Ord. 17-33, passed 9-12-2017)