13-20-620 Display of permit numbers for off-premise signs.

   (a)   (1)   The permit number shall be permanently displayed on or adjacent to all off-premise signs for which a permit has been issued by the Building Commissioner pursuant to Title 13 or Title 14A of this Code. If a sign has or is required to have a public way use permit, the current public way use permit number shall also be permanently displayed on such sign in accordance with this section. Any letters and numerals of such display shall be readily visible and conspicuous from the public way. The size, location of the permit number relative to the off-premise sign, and other characteristics of such display may be set forth in rules promulgated by the Building Commissioner. This section shall apply to all off-premise signs either now in existence or hereafter constructed. Any person who violates this subsection (a)(1) shall be subject to the fines set forth in Section 14A-3-302.1 and the permit may be revoked under Section 13-20-645.

      (2)   It shall be unlawful for any person to display a false or incomplete permit number on any off-premise sign. Any person who violates this subsection (a)(2) shall be subject to fines set forth in Section 14A-3-302.1 and the permit may be revoked under Section 13-20-645.

   (b)   For purposes of this section, the term "off- premise sign" shall have the definition set forth in Title 17 of the Chicago Zoning Ordinance.

(Added Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. III, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 13; Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. VI, § 20)

Editor's note – Coun. J. 6-4-03, p. 2220, § 1, repealed a former § 13-20-620, which pertained to subsequent reinspection fees. Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. III, § 2, and Art. IX, § 4, establish the effective date of Section 13-20-620 as June 1, 2009.

13-20-625 Additional penalties for continued use of a sign without a permit or where the sign permit has been rescinded or revoked.

   In addition to any other penalty, sanction or remedy provided by law, the following additional penalties shall apply for continued use of a sign or sign structure without a permit or in cases where the permit for a sign or sign structure has been rescinded or revoked (for purposes of this section, an "illegal sign" or "illegal sign structure"):

   (a)   No building permit, other than a permit to remove the illegal sign or illegal sign structure, may be issued for a building or lot on which the illegal sign or illegal sign structure is located until such illegal sign or illegal sign structure is removed. Provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to: (1) any permit issued by the Department of Buildings for emergency repairs as determined by the Building Commissioner, or (2) any permit issued by the Department of Buildings if the Building Commissioner determines that immediate issuance of the applicable license or permit is necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare, or is otherwise necessary to comply with mandatory state or federal laws that preempt the City's home rule authority, and all other applicable requirements for issuance of such license or permit have been met.

   (b)   No zoning permit, variance or approval may be issued for a building or lot on which the illegal sign or illegal sign structure is located until such sign and sign structure is removed.

   (c)   No business license may be issued for a building or lot on which the illegal sign or illegal sign structure is located until such sign and sign structure is removed.

(Added Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 14)

13-20-630 Permit rescission.

   The Commissioner shall have the power, pursuant to procedures set forth in Section 13-20-645 of this Code, to rescind any sign permit required by this Article that was erroneously approved by any City department as part of the application review process and subsequently issued by the Department of Buildings based on such erroneous approval.

(Added Coun. J. 4-24-12, p. 25060, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 15)

Editor's note – Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 17167, § 33, repealed a former § 13-20-630, which pertained to sign plan examination fees.

13-20-640 Permit revocation – Signs and sign elements.

   The Building Commissioner may, pursuant to procedures established in Section 13-20-645, revoke the permit for any sign or sign element constructed, altered, erected or maintained in violation of this chapter or Article I of Chapter 13-96 of this Code. The permit for any sign element that is voluntarily reported as abandoned, pursuant to Section 13-96-041(b), may be revoked by the Commissioner without any further notice or action.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-03, p. 104990, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-24-12, p. 25060, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 16)

13-20-645 Procedure for revocation or rescission of a permit.

   The procedures for revoking or rescinding a sign permit shall be established by rules promulgated by the Commissioner pursuant to Sections 14A-1-104.4 and 14A-4-413.8.

(Added Coun. J. 4-24-12, p. 25060, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 2-13-13, p. 47133, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 17; Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. VI, § 21)

Part D. Limitations to Signs (13-20-650 et seq.)

13-20-650 Height and location.

   Sign size and location shall be limited as follows:

   (a)   Except for high rise building signs permitted pursuant to section 17-12-1005-D, the overall vertical height of a sign shall not exceed 75 feet (22.9 m) above ground, or grade, level.

   (b)   Signs which project over the public way more than 12 inches (305 mm) shall clear such public way (sidewalk) by nine feet (2.74 m) and 16 feet (4.88 m) in alleys.

   (c)   Signs flat against the building shall not project more than 12 inches (305 mm). Flat signs complying with this subsection shall be permitted to be erected at entrance door height.

   (d)   Flat signs shall not project above the parapet of the building unless in accordance with all of the following conditions:

      (1)   The erection of the sign does not prohibit access to the roof from the exterior of the building without passing over the sign.

      (2)   The sign shall not extend more than two feet (0.61 m) above the roof line as required by Sections 17-12-0702 and 17-17-02150 of the Chicago Zoning Ordinance. The language added by the amendatory ordinance of 2017, effective January 1, 2018, is intended to clarify, rather than to change, existing law.

      (3)   A sign shall not be permitted to be supported from the parapet.

      (4)   Special permission is obtained in writing from the Building Commissioner before the permit application is submitted.

   (e)   A sign may be erected at the edge of a roof on a building which has no parapet walls provided:

      (1)   The building is no more than one story in height, and

      (2)   No sign section is more than four feet (1.22 m) in height and

      (3)   No sign section has an area of more than 40 feet (12.19 m 2 ).

      All such signs, where there is no parapet, shall be erected independently of each other.

   (f)   Projecting signs shall be supported by a structure anchored wholly within the lot line.

   (g)   Projecting signs shall not extend into the public way a greater distance than within 18 inches (457 mm) of the curb line.

   (h)   Projecting signs shall have that portion of the sign nearest the supporting structure not more than two feet (610 mm) from the lot line.

   (i)   No sign shall be attached to or supported by a chimney unless special permission has been obtained in writing from the Building Commissioner before the permit is issued.

   Notwithstanding the above, city digital signs shall not be subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 13-20-650 or the drum or box thickness restrictions set forth in Section 13-20-670.

   If a street is widened after a sign has been installed and such sign thereby becomes in violation of one of the provisions of this section, the owner or user of said sign shall immediately take such steps as are necessary to bring the sign into conformance with all applicable provisions of this chapter.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-03, p. 104990, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-12, p. 44485, § 8; Amend Coun. J. 4-30-14, p. 80382, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-14, p. 86203, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 18)