A. Continuance Of Nonconforming Signs: Subject to the termination hereinafter provided or provided in subsection B of this section, any nonconforming sign may be continued in operation and maintained after the effective date hereof or annexation of that property into the city of Cut Bank; provided, however, that no sign shall be changed in any manner that will increase the noncompliance of such sign; and further, that the burden of establishing a sign to be nonconforming under this section rests entirely upon the person or persons, firm or corporation claiming a nonconforming status for a sign.
B. Termination Of Nonconforming Signs:
1. Abandonment of a nonconforming sign shall terminate immediately the right to maintain such sign;
2. Any violation of this chapter shall terminate immediately the right to maintain such sign;
3. The right to maintain any nonconforming sign shall terminate and shall cease to exist whenever the sign is damaged or destroyed to the extent that repair will exceed fifty percent (50%) of the appraised value of the sign, from any cause whatsoever; or becomes obsolete or substandard under any applicable ordinance of the city of Cut Bank to the extent that the sign becomes a hazard or a danger.
C. Removal Of Signs: The building inspector or city superintendent shall order the removal of any sign erected or maintained in violation of this chapter. Ten (10) days' notice in writing shall be given to the owners of such signs or of the building, structure or premises on which the sign is located, to remove the sign or to bring it into compliance with this chapter. Upon failure to remove the sign or to comply with the notice, the building inspector or city superintendent shall remove the sign. The building inspector or city superintendent shall remove the sign immediately and without notice if it reasonably appears that the condition of the sign is such as to present an immediate threat to the safety of the public. Any cost of the removal incurred by the building inspector or city superintendent shall be assessed to the owner of the property on which the sign is located and may be collected in the manner of ordinary debt or in a manner of taxes, and such charge shall be a lien on such property. (Ord. 2009-03, 12-7-2009)