The following regulations shall apply to the display of all signs in the City:
(a) No sign shall be erected unless it is in compliance with the regulations of this Chapter.
(b) Signs must be constructed in compliance with any applicable regulations of the City’s Zoning Code and any applicable State building and fire Codes.
(c) All signs shall be properly maintained. Exposed surfaces shall be clean and painted, if paint is required. Defective parts shall be replaced. The Zoning Inspector shall have the right to order repair or removal of any sign, which is defective, damaged or substantially deteriorated. The property owner, agent, or the person having the beneficial use of the premises shall be responsible for all costs for repair or removal.
(d) Any sign, retractable canopy or awning which advertises a business no longer being conducted on the premises to which the sign relates constitutes a public nuisance and such sign shall be taken down and removed by the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the premises upon which such sign is found. Such sign shall be removed immediately after written notice from the Zoning Inspector or the sign may be removed by the Zoning Inspector or his/her authorized representative and the costs shall be charged to the owner, agent or person having the beneficial use of the premises on which such sign is found.
(e) No sign shall obstruct or interfere with traffic or traffic visibility, or resemble or imitate signs or signals erected by the City or other governmental agency for the regulation of traffic or parking.
(f) Signs may be illuminated, except temporary signs, by either external or internal sources of light except where otherwise prohibited in this Chapter. However, no illuminated sign shall be permitted any part of which flashes on or off or displays changing degrees of intensity (this does not apply to holiday, religious or an automatic changeable copy sign). This regulation applies to signs located outside buildings, and to window signs inside buildings which are meant to be seen from the outside.
(g) No sign, whether freestanding, ground-mounted, projecting or attached to a building or other structure, may project, or be mounted over any public street, sidewalk or on any public right-of-way, except as expressly permitted in this Chapter.
(h) Any sign which is permanently mounted shall bear, in a permanent position, a clearly legible identification stating the name and address of the owner of the sign, and the person, firm or corporation responsible for its construction, and the date of erection.
(i) No sign, with the exception of governmental signs, shall be placed, displayed or erected in the public right-of-way or on public property without written approval from the City Manager.
(j) No snipe signs shall be placed, erected or displayed within the City.
(k) No light source for illuminated signs shall be of such brightness nor orientation as to constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(l) Unless otherwise specified by this Chapter, any sign herein allowed may use manual or automatic changeable copy.
(m) Clearance of overhead utilities shall be in conformance with the National Electric Code and all local utility standards.
(n) Window signs are permitted provided that the window sign is located in a building where a commercial or industrial use is permitted as a principal use. No window sign shall advertise products or services not provided or for sale on the premises except non-profit and civic functions and political candidates.
(o) No sign shall be erected or placed on any property without the consent of the owner.
(p) No sign shall be placed where it blocks or impedes sight lines for any person, pedestrian or operator of a vehicle on a public right-of-way, driveway or sidewalk.
(q) No sign shall imitate or resemble official traffic or governmental signs or signals.
(r) No sign shall be erected so as to have less than eight (8) feet of vertical clearance between such sign and the public sidewalk.
(Ord. 2002-034. Passed 5-7-02.)