(a) All Outdoor Signs and Billboards shall be constructed and mounted in compliance with the West Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. All signs and components thereof shall be maintained in good repair and in a safe, neat, and clean condition.
(b) Safety Hazard. The Community Development Director, Code Enforcement Officer or other authorized City personnel may cause to have removed or repaired immediately without written notice any sign which, in his or her opinion, has become insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise unsafe, and, as such, presents an immediate threat to the safety of the public. If such action is necessary to render a sign safe, the cost of such emergency removal or repair shall be charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within thirty (30) days of notice of charges.
(c) Nuisance. Any sign which constitutes a nuisance shall be abated by the owner within thirty (30) days of notice by the Community Development Director, Code Enforcement Officer or other authorized City personnel. At any time, the Community Development Director, Code Enforcement Officer or other authorized City personnel may cause the nuisance to be abated with the costs charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within thirty (30) days of notice of charges.
(d) Illegal Sign and Disrepair. Any sign which is illegal or in disrepair shall be made conforming or repaired within thirty (30) days of notice from the Community Development Director, Code Enforcement Officer or other authorized City personnel. Signs of disrepair include chipped paint, missing or significantly faded letters or other aspects of the sign, cracked portions of the sign face, broken lighting, graffiti, and unleveled portions of the sign structure or face. If an illegal sign or a sign in disrepair is not made conforming or repaired, the Community Development Director, Code Enforcement Officer or other authorized City personnel may cause the sign to be removed or repaired and the cost of such removal or repair shall be charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within thirty (30) days of notice of charges.
(e) Expired Permit. Any sign for which a sign permit has expired shall be removed within five (5) days of the permit expiration. If the sign is not removed, the Community Development Director, Code Enforcement Officer or other authorized City personnel may cause the sign to be removed and the cost of such removal shall be charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within thirty (30) days of notice of charges.
(f) Signs located within ten (10) feet of any public right-of-way and in violation of this code may be impounded at any time.
(g) The owner of any commercial sign, whether conforming or nonconforming, other than a permitted off-premise sign, located on commercial property where the use or business has ceased operating shall, within sixty (60) days of the cessation of the use or business operation, remove Temporary signs and all aspects of any permanent sign that refer to the use or business. Property owner may request, in writing, a waiver of such requirement, if the businesses is temporarily or seasonally operational, is remodeling, or otherwise has the good will intention of opening that business back up within one (1) year of time of cessation.
(Passed 9-14-20.)