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(a) No person may erect or maintain a detached non-premise sign in the city. It is a defense to prosecution under this subsection that the sign:
(1) is a nonconforming use;
(2) is a special purpose sign, movement control sign, protective sign, or vehicular sign as defined in this article;
(3) is a sign that contains primarily a political message for which a permit is not required under Section 51A-7.602;
(4) is in a special provision sign district or planned development district and expressly authorized by and in full compliance with the ordinances establishing and amending that district;
(5) was lawfully relocated pursuant to Section 51A-7.307;
(6) is expressly authorized by and in full compliance with a valid order of the court or board of adjustment; or
(7) is a sign adverting an occasional sale (garage sale) pursuant to Sections 51-4.217(b)(5) or 51A-4.217(b)(9).
(b) A lawfully erected detached non-premise sign in a special provision sign district or planned development district shall be considered a legal (as opposed to non-conforming) use if it is expressly authorized by and in full compliance with the ordinances establishing and amending that district. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 19766; 19786; 20360; 20927; 21663; 22392; 24232; 25921; 29024)
(a) In general. Non-conforming detached non-premise signs located on or overhanging a parcel of land acquired by a governmental entity may be relocated subject to the restrictions in this section.
(b) Application. The owner of the sign and the governmental entity must sign a relocation application. The owner of the sign must submit the relocation application within one year after the sign is actually removed from the parcel of land pursuant to a request of the governmental entity. The relocation must be completed within one year after approval of the relocation application.
(c) Compliance required. Except as provided in this section, relocated signs must fully comply with the size, height, spacing, setback, and other restrictions in this article.
(d) Relocation to remainder.
(1) All relocated signs must be relocated on the remainder of the tract from which the parcel of land was acquired unless relocating to the remainder is not possible for reasons such as:
(A) there is no remainder;
(B) the sign owner is unable to obtain an agreement from the property owner of the remainder; or
(C) the remainder is not of sufficient size or suitable configuration to allow the relocated sign to be as visible as the original sign from the nearest main traveled thoroughfare.
(2) Signs relocated to a remainder may not be less conforming than the original sign, but must comply with the spacing requirements of Paragraphs (e)(12) and (e)(13).
(3) All signs located on a railroad right-of-way must be relocated within that same railroad right-of-way. Relocated signs must be relocated within 500 feet of their original location unless possible locations are not of a suitable size or configuration or are otherwise unusable. Signs that have been relocated within 500 feet of their original location may not be less conforming than the original sign. If a sign cannot be relocated within 500 feet of its original location, it can be relocated anywhere in that same railroad right-of-way, but must fully comply with the size, height, spacing, setback, and other restrictions in this article.
(e) Restrictions on relocations.
(1) A sign may not be relocated within 1,000 feet of a new expressway.
(2) A sign may not be relocated within 100 feet of an expressway unless it was originally located within 100 feet of an expressway or new expressway.
(3) A sign message on a relocated sign may not be oriented to be visible from a new expressway.
(4) A sign message on a relocated sign may not be oriented to be visible from an expressway unless it was originally oriented to be visible from an expressway or new expressway.
(5) A non-HBA sign must be relocated at least 500 feet from another non-premise sign.
(6) An HBA sign must be relocated at least 500 feet from another non-premise sign on the same side of the expressway.
(7) No more than one relocation is permitted between the sites or former sites of non-premise signs that existed on April 26, 2000 unless the distance between the sites or former sites in feet equals or exceeds the number of relocated signs multiplied by 1,500.
(8) A relocated sign may not have a greater effective area than it had at its original location, except that the effective area of multiple relocated signs may be combined, provided that:
(A) the overall number of signs within the city is reduced;
(B) the effective area of the combined sign is equal to or less than the sum of the effective area of the individual signs; and
(C) except as provided in Paragraph (g)(3), the effective area does not exceed 400 square feet for a combined non-expressway sign or 672 square feet for a combined expressway sign.
For purposes of this paragraph, the effective area of a relocated sign does not include the sign skirting if no part of the sign message appears on the skirting other than the name of the sign company.
(9) Two one-faced signs may be relocated to create one two-faced sign, provided that:
(A) the two faces are oriented within 60 degrees of one another; and
(B) except as provided in Paragraph (g)(3), the effective area does not exceed 400 square feet for a combined non-expressway sign or 672 square feet for a combined expressway sign.
This paragraph controls over Paragraphs (5) and (6).
(10) All relocated signs must be built to comply with the building code.
(11) A sign may not be relocated until demolition and other required permits have been applied for and approved by the city.
(12) A sign may not be relocated within 2,000 feet of the Trinity River, measured from the center line of the Trinity River. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Trinity River” means the portion of the river south of the confluence of the Elm and West forks as depicted on the most recent version of the flood insurance rate maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(13) A sign may not be relocated within 500 feet of a historic district, public park, city-owned lake, or the escarpment zone or geologically similar areas.
(14) A non-HBA sign may not be relocated within 500 feet of a non-business or residential zoning district.
(15) An HBA sign may not be relocated within 300 feet of a non-business or residential zoning district.
(16) A sign may not be relocated within 200 feet of any intersection involving:
(A) two or more arterials;
(B) an expressway frontage road and an arterial; or
(C) expressway travel lanes or ramps.
(17) No new properties, such as electrical, mechanical, or LED, may be added to a relocated sign. (For example, a non-illuminated sign may not be converted to an illuminated sign, and a plain billboard may not be converted to a digital or tri-vision sign.)
(f) Relocated expressway signs.
(1) A relocated expressway sign may exceed the effective area in Subsection (g). A relocated expressway sign may not have an effective area that exceeds 672 square feet.
(2) A relocated expressway sign must have a setback of at least 40 feet from the nearest expressway travel lane and at least five feet from the nearest public right-of-way but may not be relocated more than 200 feet from the expressway right-of-way.
(3) The effective area of a relocated expressway sign does not include extensions of the sign face if:
(A) the extensions do not collectively exceed 20 percent of the original area of the sign face; and
(B) no individual extension exceeds 80 percent of the original length or 50 percent of the original height of the sign face.
(4) The height of a relocated expressway sign may not exceed an overall height of 50 feet, or 42.5 feet above the nearest point on the nearest travel surface of the nearest expressway or new expressway, whichever is higher, if the total height of the sign does not exceed 80 feet above the ground at the base of the sign.
(g) Limitations on size. Except as provided in Subsection (f):
(1) a relocated sign with an effective area of 72 square feet or less may not exceed 20 feet in height; and
(2) a relocated sign with an effective area greater than 72 square feet may not exceed 400 square feet in effective area or 30 feet in height.
(3) A relocated sign in a CR, RR, MU-1, MU- 1(SAH), MU-2, MU-2(SAH), MC-1, or MC-2 zoning district, or in an SC or GR subdistrict of a PD district, may not exceed 72 square feet in effective area or 20 feet in height. This provision controls over Paragraphs (1) and (2).
(h) Measurements. Measurements of distance under this section pertaining to minimum separation between signs are linear unless otherwise specified in the provision. A “linear” measurement is taken from a sign or proposed sign location to the nearest point on another sign. Measurements of distance under this section pertaining to minimum distance from zoning districts or locations are taken radially unless otherwise specified in the provision. “Radial” measurement is a measurement taken along the shortest distance between a sign or proposed sign location and the nearest point of a private property line in a restricted zoning district or location.
(i) Specific use permit. The city council may grant a specific use permit to:
(1) authorize a detached non-premise sign to have lesser spacing than that required in Paragraphs (e) (12), (13), (14) or (15); or
(2) allow the relocation of an HBA sign or an expressway sign to an LO(A), MO(A), or GO(A) district.
For more information regarding specific use permits, see Section 51A-4.219. (Ord. Nos. 24232; 27516)
(a) In general. Certain nonconforming detached non-premise signs may be modified to use digital display technology subject to the restrictions in this section.
(b) Application. The owner of the sign must submit a digital display sign permit application for a face modification. After the building official approves the digital display sign permit, the owner must apply for a demolition permit to remove sign face area in accordance with Subsection (d). The owner must complete demolition of sign face according to the applicable ratio in Subsection (d) before the sign face is modified.
(c) Compliance required.
(1) Except as provided in this section, digital display signs must fully comply with the size, height, spacing, setback, and other restrictions in this article for detached non-premise signs.
(2) Digital display sign support structures must be built to comply with the building code.
(3) Digital display signs must comply with Title 43 Texas Administrative Code Section 21.163, “Electronic Signs,” as amended.
(4) Both existing and new digital signs must comply with all lighting and safety standards mandated by federal, state, or local rules or statutes, including standards adopted or amended after the date of passage of these requirements. Lighting and safety standards include brightness; message duration; and proximity of the sign to other digital displays, ramps, and interchanges.
(d) Sign face exchange ratio.
(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2), for every one square foot of sign face modified to use digital display technology, three square feet of detached non-premise sign face area must be removed from within the city.
(A) To receive credit for the area of a conventional face removed, the conventional sign face removed must result in elimination of a sign structure (if a face is removed from a structure, the entire structure must be removed).
(B) At least one structure removed must be within a five mile radius of the conventional face being converted.
(C) No credit is given for the area of the conventional face removed to convert to a digital display.
(D) Removal of sign face area must be completed before modification of sign area to use digital display technology.
(2) A company holding a valid state advertising license and that maintains 61 or fewer registered expressway non-premise signs on January 1, 2011 shall be allowed one sign face modification without complying with Paragraph (1). The new digital sign face may be no larger than the preexisting conventional sign face. Any subsequent modifications must comply with Paragraph (1).
(e) Location and number.
(1) A maximum of 50 non-premise locations with digital displays are permitted in the city. The director shall time stamp all applications upon receipt. The director shall review applications in order of submittal. If the director determines that an application is incomplete or does not meet the requirements of this section, the director shall reject the application and then review the next application. If the initial number of applications exceeds the number of permits available, the director shall provide for a lottery to distribute the permits.
(2) Digital display signs may only be expressway signs.
(3) For support structures with only one digital display sign, signs must be located a minimum of 1,500 feet from any other digital display sign oriented to the same traffic direction along the main travel lanes of the expressway, measured linearly. For support structures with two digital display signs, signs must be located a minimum of 2,000 feet from any other digital display sign along the same expressway, measured linearly.
(4) Digital display signs may not be located within 300 feet of any lot located in a residential district, measured radially.
(5) Digital display signs may not be located within 2,000 feet of the Trinity River, measured from the center line of the Trinity River. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Trinity River” means the portion of the river south of the confluence of the Elm and West Forks as depicted on the most recent version of the flood insurance rate maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(6) Digital display signs may not be located within 500 feet of a lot in a historic district.
(7) Digital display signs may not be located within 500 feet of an escarpment zone.
(f) Digital display sign support structures.
(1) Digital display sign support structures may not exceed an overall height of 50 feet or 42.5 feet above the nearest point on the nearest travel surface of the nearest expressway, whichever is higher, except that no digital display sign may be higher than the conventional sign it replaced.
(2) On support structures with two sign faces:
(A) If existing faces are pivoted at an angle of 10 degrees or greater from each other and toward the main travel lanes of an expressway, one or both sign faces may be converted to digital display.
(B) If existing faces are pivoted at an angle of less than 10 degrees, only one face may be converted to a digital display. The other sign face must be removed.
(3) Sign support structures and faces being converted to accommodate digital displays may not be modified to change the angle of a sign face.
(4) Electrical service to sign support structures with digital displays must be underground between the property line and the sign.
(g) Display.
(1) All digital displays signs must automatically adjust the sign brightness so that the brightness level of the sign is no more than 0.3 footcandles over ambient light conditions at a distance of 250 feet from the sign. A digital display sign must be equipped with both a dimmer control and a photocell that automatically adjusts the display’s intensity according to natural ambient light conditions.
(2) A digital display may not increase the light level on a lot in a residential district over ambient conditions without the digital display, measured in footcandles at the point closest to the sign that is five feet inside the residential lot and five feet above the ground.
(3) Before the issuance of a digital display sign permit, the applicant shall provide written certification from the sign manufacturer that:
(A) the light intensity has been factory programmed to comply with the maximum brightness and dimming standards in this subsection; and
(B) the light intensity is protected from end-user manipulation by password-protected software or other method satisfactory to the building official.
(h) Change of message. Changes of message must comply with the following:
(1) Each message must be displayed for a minimum of eight seconds.
(2) Changes of message must be accomplished within two seconds.
(3) Changes of message must occur simultaneously on the entire sign face.
(4) No flashing, dimming, or brightening of message is permitted except to accommodate changes of message.
(i) Malfunction. Digital display sign operators must respond to a malfunction or safety issue within one hour after notification and must remedy that malfunction or safety issue within 12 hours after notification. In case of sign malfunction, the digital display must freeze until the malfunction is remedied.
(j) Display of emergency information. The city may exercise its police powers to protect public health, safety, and welfare by requiring emergency information to be displayed on digital display signs. Upon notification, the sign operators shall display: Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts, information regarding terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other emergency situations in appropriate sign rotations. Emergency information messages must remain in rotation according to the issuing agency’s protocols.
(k) Sunset. The director shall issue no permits after August 31, 2015, unless that date is extended by ordinance before that date. The city plan commission and city council shall review this section before August 31, 2015. (Ord. Nos. 28238; 29393; 29557)
The provisions of this division apply to all signs located:
(1) in any non-business zoning district;
(2) within 100 feet of private property in a non-business zoning district; or
(3) within 100 feet of a public park of more than one acre. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 20007; 20379)
(a) No portion of an illuminated sign shall have a luminance greater than 200 foot lamberts.
(b) Except for wind devices, no sign nor part of any sign in a non-business zoning district shall move, flash, rotate, or change its illumination more than once an hour.
(c) Except as otherwise permitted under Sections 51-4.213(25) or (26), 51-4.217(b)(5), 51A-4.206(1) or (3), and 51A-4.217(b)(9), an occupant in non-business zoning districts may erect only signs that convey a noncommercial message, special purpose signs, and premise signs, which include movement control signs and protective signs.
(d) Subdivision signs are subject to the following restrictions:
(1) Subdivision signs are exempt from compliance with the provisions of Section 51A-7.403, “Detached Signs,” of this article.
(2) The maximum effective area of each subdivision sign may not exceed 40 square feet.
(3) The maximum number of subdivision signs permitted is two signs per street entrance into the residential neighborhood.
(4) Subdivision signs may not project more than three inches from the surface of the structure.
(5) Subdivision signs may not be internally illuminated.
(6) The highest part of a subdivision sign may not exceed six feet in height.
(7) Subdivision signs must be landscape signs or monument signs. For purposes of this subsection, “landscape sign” means a sign that is part of a single landscape design that creates a base for the sign in conjunction with a retaining wall or an open space created with the use of water or planting material, and “monument sign” means a detached sign applied directly onto a ground-level support structure (instead of a pole support) with no separation between the sign and the ground.
(8) Subdivision signs may be located within the public right-of-way if a license for use of the public right-of-way is obtained pursuant to the requirements of the Dallas City Code.
(9) Subdivision signs may only contain the name of the single family, duplex, or townhouse residential neighborhood.
(10) The application for a subdivision sign permit must be submitted by a homeowners association.
(11) The application for a subdivision sign permit must be supported by the owner of property abutting the proposed subdivision sign, if any, and two-thirds of the property owners within 300 feet of the proposed subdivision sign. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 20927; 24232; 24270; 25455; 29024)
(a) A multifamily or non-residential premise may display detached signs subject to the following restrictions:
(1) TYPE OF SIGNS: A sign permitted by this subsection must:
(A) be a premise sign; or
(B) convey a noncommercial message.
(2) NUMBER OF SIGNS: Each premise may have one detached sign for each 600 feet, or fraction thereof, of frontage along a public way, other than an alley.
(3) SETBACK: A sign permitted by this subsection must comply with the following setback requirements:
(A) A minimum setback of five feet is required of all detached signs.
(B) A minimum setback of 10 feet is required for signs exceeding 10 square feet in effective area or 15 feet in height.
(C) A minimum setback of 20 feet is required for all signs exceeding 20 square feet in effective area or 20 feet in height.
(D) A minimum setback of 15 feet is required if any part of the sign, other than supports that do not exceed a total cross-sectional area of one square foot, occupies the space between two feet and 10 feet above grade.
(4) EFFECTIVE AREA AND HEIGHT: A detached sign may not exceed 50 square feet in effective area or 25 feet in height.
(b) A single family or duplex residential premise may display detached signs subject to the following restrictions:
(1) TYPE OF SIGNS: A sign permitted by this subsection must:
(A) refer to the sale or lease of the premises;
(B) refer to an occasional sale authorized in Section 51A-4.217(b)(5) of this code; or
(C) convey a noncommercial message.
(2) NUMBER OF SIGNS: Each premise may have one detached sign for each 600 feet, or fraction thereof, of frontage along a public way, other than an alley.
(3) SETBACK: A sign permitted by this subsection must comply with the following setback requirements:
(A) A minimum setback of five feet is required for all detached signs unless the premise has a yard that is less than five feet, in which case the sign must be set back the maximum possible distance.
(B) A minimum setback of 10 feet is required for signs exceeding 10 square feet in effective area.
(C) A minimum setback of 15 feet is required if any part of the effective area of the sign occupies the space above two feet above grade.
(4) EFFECTIVE AREA AND HEIGHT: A detached sign may not exceed 20 square feet in effective area or eight feet in height. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 20927; 20962; 21798)
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