The city has several historic signs in its commercial areas that serve as important visual markers which residents and visitors closely identify with an existing or former business or civic entity or a period of time in the city. Many such signs were erected or painted under a previous code and may not conform to the height, shape, type and sign area requirements of this chapter nor to the non-conforming and obsolete signs provisions of this chapter.
(A) Purpose. The intent of this section is to permit historic signs to be kept in place and be maintained to ensure their continued display for as long as possible and to be exempt from any provisions of this chapter that would require that such a sign be removed or significantly altered.
(B) Required characteristics of a historic sign. To be eligible for classification as a historic sign in the city, a sign must:
(1) Have been lawfully erected prior to June 28,1971 and has been continuously maintained in the same location since that date;
(2) Is attached to or painted on a significant historic building or landmark, and has come to be identified with that building or landmark, whether or not it is original to it;
(3) Is located on a site that has been continuously operated for the same business use since June 28,1971 or earlier;
(4) Is of a unique shape or type of design representative of its era;
(5) Is a ghost sign; or
(6) Identifies a building or business that is associated with a family, business or organization that was noteworthy in the history of the city community.
(C) Procedure.
(1) The owner of a property on which an historic sign is located may submit a request to the Building and Zoning Department to have such sign classified as historic for the purposes of this subchapter. The Building and Zoning Department will review such a request and refer it to the Historic Preservation Commission. The Historic Preservation Commission will review the property owner’s request and make a recommendation to the City Council that such sign should be classified as historic and thus exempt from the requirements of this chapter.
(2) The Historic Preservation Commission may also initiate a review of a historic sign and make its own direct recommendation to the City Council that such sign should be classified as historic and thus exempt from the requirements of this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 166.124) (Ord. 2014-040, passed 7-8-2014) Penalty, see § 165.999