13-20-720 General restrictions.

   No person, firm, or corporation shall place on or suspend from any building, sign, structure, canopy, lot, or place any goods, wares, merchandise, or any other material not in conformance with Section 14E-6-600 and this article.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 16)

13-20-730 Notice of non-compliance.

   Whenever the Building Commissioner determines that any sign or sign structure has been erected or is being maintained in violation of this chapter, or is in an unsafe condition, or has become unstable or insecure, or is a menace to the safety or health of the public, the Commissioner may issue or cause to be issued a notice, in writing, to the responsible person, as defined herein, informing such person of the violation of this chapter or of the dangerous condition of such sign or sign structure and directing such responsible person to make whatever alterations or repairs that the Commissioner reasonably deems necessary to bring the sign or sign structure into compliance with this chapter, and with Article I of Chapter 13-96 and Title 14E of this Code, within a reasonable time, which may be stated in said notice. If the necessary alterations and repairs are not made within the time period specified, the permit for the sign or sign structure may be revoked by the Building Commissioner pursuant to Section 13-20-645. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Building Commissioner from seeking to directly revoke a permit pursuant to Section 13-20-645.

   As used in this section, the term “responsible person” means: (1) the permittee of a permit for a sign or sign structure issued on or before May 19, 2012; or (2) the owner or lessee of the real property on which a sign or sign structure is located of a permit issued after May 19, 2012; or (3) the person in charge, possession, or control thereof, if the whereabouts of such person is known.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 5-2-01, p. 57403, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-03, p. 104990, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 17; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 20)

13-20-740 Posting non-compliance notice.

   If the responsible person, as defined in Section 13-20-730, cannot be found or such responsible person's whereabouts cannot be ascertained, the Building Commissioner shall attach or cause to be attached to such sign or sign structure a notice meeting the requirements of Section 13-20-740. If the sign or sign structure identified in such notice is not brought into conformity with this chapter and is not placed in a secure, safe, and substantially sound condition in the manner directed or required by such notice, within 30 calendar days after such notice is attached to such sign or sign structure, the Building Commissioner may cause such sign or sign structure or any portion thereof that has been constructed or is being maintained in violation of this chapter, Article I of Chapter 13-96 of this Code or Title 14E of this Code, to be torn down. Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the Building Commissioner, in case of imminent danger, from taking necessary or advisable precautionary measures to place such sign or sign structure in a safe condition. Provided further, that any expense incurred by the City in connection with taking such precautionary measures shall be charged to and recovered from the responsible person, as defined in Section 13-20-730, in any appropriate proceedings therefore. If the necessary alterations and repairs are not made within the time period specified, the permit for the sign or sign structure may be revoked by the Building Commissioner pursuant to Section 13-20-645. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Building Commissioner from seeking to directly revoke a permit pursuant to Section 13-20-645.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 5-2-01, p. 57403, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-03, p. 104990, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 21)

13-20-750 Demolition.

   If the owner or person in charge, possession, or control of any sign or structure when so notified shall refuse, fail, or neglect to comply with and conform the requirements of such notice, the building commissioner may, upon the expiration of time therein mentioned, tear down or cause to be torn down such part of such a sign or structure as is constructed and maintained in violation of the provisions of this chapter, and shall charge the expense to the owner or person in charge, possession, or control of any sign or structure and the same shall be recovered from such owner or person by appropriate legal proceedings.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3)

13-20-760 Abandoned signs and structures.

   (a)   “Abandoned sign” means:

      (1)   any sign that has had no copy on it for at least six consecutive months; or

      (2)   any sign that: (A) is attached to a building or lot; and (B) identifies or describes either a business that has not been located or operating in such building or lot for at least six consecutive months, or identifies or describes a product or service that has not been sold or leased within such building or lot for at least six consecutive months, or identifies or describes either a business or service which has either failed to obtain or maintain a valid City of Chicago business license or licenses, if required, for said building or lot; or

      (3)   any sign for which the sign inspection fee required by this Code has not been paid and is past due for at least six consecutive months; or

      (4)   any sign for which the permit number applicable to such sign not been displayed in the manner required by Section 13-20-620 for at least six consecutive months.

   The permit for an abandoned sign may be revoked in accordance with Section 13-20-645.

   Any abandoned sign shall be declared a hazard and the Building Department is hereby empowered to remove or to cause to be removed any such abandoned sign.

   (b)   “Abandoned sign structure” means any sign structure that:

      (1)   has not had any sign, or has had an abandoned sign, attached to it for at least six consecutive months; or

      (2)   has a sign attached to the structure for which the sign inspection fee required by this Code has not been paid and is past due for at least six consecutive months; or

      (3)   is an off-premise sign or sign or sign structure for which the permit number applicable to such sign not been displayed in the manner required by Section 13-20-620 for at least six consecutive months; or

      (4)   is an outdoor sign on which the name of the owner of such sign not been displayed in the manner required by Section 13-96-040(e) for at least six consecutive months.

   A sign structure that is removed, except as a result of criminal vandalism, such that a nonconforming sign for which a valid permit existed can no longer be displayed, will be deemed to have been abandoned. The remaining presence of in-ground or above-ground footings or portions of the poles or bracing, wiring or other apparatus shall not be grounds for retention of the nonconforming status or revival of the permit.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. IV, § 21; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 22; Amend Coun. J. 1-23-19, p. 94952, Art. I, § 10)

13-20-770 Removal of sign or structure.

   (a)   It shall be the duty of the Building Commissioner to remove or to cause the removal of any sign or sign structure that is not in compliance with this Article or Section 14E-6-600 dealing with signs. In such case, any requisite fee or compensation or inspection fee paid to the City of Chicago for such sign shall not be refunded.

   (b)   The owner of the real property, the lessee of the real property, and the person in control of such sign or sign structure shall be held jointly and severally liable for all expenses incurred by the Building Department in the performance of the Building Commissioner's duty under subsection (a) of this section to remove non- compliant signs and sign structures, and the City shall be entitled to place and record a lien on the real property until the City has been reimbursed for all such expenses in full.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 19; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 23)

13-20-780 Reserved.

Editor's note – Coun. J. 4-24-12, p. 25060, § 5, repealed § 13-20-780, which pertained to stopping of current.