(A) It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to inspect all plans and specifications submitted in connection with the erection, reconstruction or alteration of any billboard, signboard or sign and to approve the same if the method of construction and provisions made for fastening, securing, anchoring and maintaining such billboard, signboard or sign are such as will serve to protect the public and to render such billboard, signboard or sign safe and substantial. It is further made the duty of the Building Inspector to exercise supervision over all billboards, signboards and signs erected or being maintained under the provisions of this subchapter and to cause inspection by inspectors in the Building Inspector’s Department of all such billboards, signboards and signs to be made once each year and more often where the condition of the same so requires; and whenever it shall appear to the Building Inspector that any such billboard, signboard or sign has been erected in violation of this chapter or is in an unsafe condition or has become unstable or insecure or is in such a condition as to be a menace to the safety or health of the public, the Building Inspector shall thereupon issue or cause to be issued a notice in writing to the owner of the billboard, signboard or sign or to the person in charge, possession or control thereof, if the whereabouts of such person is known, informing such owner or person in charge thereof, of the violation of this subchapter and the dangerous condition of the billboard, signboard or sign and directing such person to make alterations or repairs thereto or to do such acts or things as are necessary or advisable to place the billboard, signboard or sign in safe, substantial and secure condition and to make the same comply with the requirements of this subchapter, within such reasonable time as may be stated in the notice.
(B) If the owner or person in charge, possession or control of any billboard, signboard or sign, when so notified, shall refuse, fail or neglect to comply with and conform to the requirements of such notice, the Building Inspector shall, upon the expiration of the time therein mentioned, alter, change, tear down or cause to be torn down such part of the billboard, signboard or sign as is constructed or maintained in violation of this subchapter, and shall charge the expense to the owner or person in possession, charge or control of the billboard, signboard or sign, which may be recovered from the owner or person in charge by appropriate legal proceedings.
(C) If the owner of the billboard, signboard or sign, or the person in charge, possession or control thereof cannot be found, or his, her or their whereabouts cannot be ascertained, the Building Inspector shall attach or cause to be attached to the billboard, signboard or sign, a notice of the same report as that required to be sent to the owner or person in charge, possession or control thereof, where the owner or person in charge is known; and if such billboard, signboard or sign shall not have been made to conform to this subchapter and be placed in a secure, safe and substantial condition, in accordance with the requirements of such notice, within 30 days after such notice shall have been attached to such billboard, signboard or sign, it shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to thereupon cause such billboard, signboard or sign, such portion thereof as is constructed or maintained in violation of this subchapter, to be torn down; provided that, nothing herein contained shall prevent the Building Inspector from adopting such precautionary measures as may be necessary or advisable in cases of imminent danger in order to place the billboard, signboard or sign in a safe condition, the expense of which shall be charged to and recovered from the owner of such billboard, signboard or sign or person in charge, possession or control thereof, in any appropriate proceedings therefor.
(D) It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to require that the name of the person or corporation owning or in possession, charge or control of any billboard, signboard or sign is placed upon such billboard, signboard or sign forthwith upon the erection thereof and is kept thereon during the entire time that such billboard, signboard or sign is maintained; and, in case the owner of the billboard, signboard or sign, or the person in charge, possession or control thereof, shall fail or refuse to place and maintain such name on the same, such person shall be subject to the penalty hereinafter provided for in § 10.99 of this code of ordinances.
(Prior Code, § 114.043) Penalty, see § 10.99