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The Dallas City Code
CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS CODE OF ORDINANCES
CHARTER of THE CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS
VOLUME I
VOLUME II
VOLUME III
CHAPTER 51A DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE: ORDINANCE NO. 19455, AS AMENDED
ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
ARTICLE II. INTERPRETATIONS AND DEFINITIONS.
ARTICLE III. DECISIONMAKING AND ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES.
ARTICLE IV. ZONING REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE V. FLOODPLAIN AND ESCARPMENT ZONE REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE VI. ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
ARTICLE VII. SIGN REGULATIONS.
Division 51A-7.100. Purposes and Definitions.
Division 51A-7.200. Provisions For All Zoning Districts.
Division 51A-7.300. Provisions For Business Zoning Districts.
Division 51A-7.400. Provisions for Non-Business Zoning Districts.
Division 51A-7.500. Special Provision Sign Districts.
Division 51A-7.600. Permit Procedures.
Division 51A-7.700. Non-Conformance and Enforcement Procedures.
Division 51A-7.800. Procedure For Changes and Amendments.
Division 51A-7.900. Downtown Special Provision Sign District.
SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR SIGNS WITHIN THE GENERAL CBD, MAIN STREET, CONVENTION CENTER, RETAIL, DISCOVERY, AND CHASE TOWER SUBDISTRICTS.
Division 51A-7.1000. West End Historic Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1100. Provisions for Uptown Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1200. Provisions for Arts District Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1300. Provisions for Deep Ellum/Near East Side Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1400. Jefferson Boulevard Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1500. Provisions for McKinney Avenue Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1600. Farmers Market Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1700. Provisions for Victory Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1800. Provisions for Southside Entertainment Sign District.
Division 51A-7.1900. Provisions for West Village Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2000. Provisions for the West Commerce Street/Fort Worth Avenue Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2100. Provisions for the Arts District Extension Area Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2200. Parkland Hospital Sign District.
Division 51A-7.2300. Southwestern Medical District Sign District.
ARTICLE VIII. PLAT REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE IX. THOROUGHFARES.
ARTICLE X. LANDSCAPE AND TREE CONSERVATION REGULATIONS.
ARTICLE XI. HISTORIC PRESERVATION TAX EXEMPTIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
ARTICLE XII. GAS DRILLING AND PRODUCTION.
ARTICLE XIII. FORM DISTRICTS.
CHAPTER 51 FORMER DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE
CODE COMPARATIVE TABLE
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SEC. 51A-7.506.   EXPIRATION OF SPECIAL PROVISION SIGN DISTRICTS.
   The city council may establish a special provision sign district for a limited time. At the end of this period, the special provision sign district, and its provisions regulating signs, shall be discontinued, unless renewed for another limited period in accordance with the procedure established in Section 51A-7.502. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 24232)
SEC. 51A-7.507.   TEMPORARY SIGNS IN SPECIAL PROVISION SIGN DISTRICTS
   (a)   Purpose. This section allows persons to erect and maintain temporary signs within special provision sign districts while their applications for permanent signs in those districts are pending. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting a special provision sign district from having a separate procedure for obtaining a temporary sign permit.
   (b)   Procedures to obtain permit.
      (1)   In general. Notwithstanding Section 51A-7.505, an applicant for a sign permit in a special provision sign district may apply for a permit to erect a temporary sign in accordance with this section. The permit must be obtained before erecting or maintaining the sign.
      (2)   Application for permit. An application for a permit must be filed with the building official on a form provided by the city. Each application must comply with the requirements of the Dallas Building Code.
      (3)   Requirements. The building official shall deny the application unless the proposed temporary sign meets all of the following requirements. The sign must:
         (A)   comply with all provisions of the code, as amended, except for Section 51A-7.505;
         (B)   be an attached sign;
         (C)   be a premise sign;
         (D)   be constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, or nylon;
         (E)   not be an illuminated sign;
         (F)   not have dimensions that exceed the dimensions of the sign for which the applicant proposes to obtain a certificate of appropriateness; and
         (G)   not be the same sign for which the applicant proposes to obtain a certificate of appropriateness.
      (4)   Decision of the building official.
         (A)   Timing. The building official shall make a decision regarding the application within five working days after it is filed. If the applicant has not provided all the information required by this section, then the five-day period does not begin until the required information is provided.
         (B)   Failure to act. If the building official fails to make a decision regarding the application within five working days after it is filed, it is approved subject to compliance with all applicable city ordinances.
         (C)   Form of decision. The decision must take one of the following three forms:
            (i)   Approval, no conditions.
            (ii)   Approval, subject to conditions noted.
            (iii)   Denial.
         (D)   Approval with no conditions. If there are no grounds for denying the application, the building official shall approve it with no conditions.
         (E)   Approval subject to conditions noted. As an alternative to denial of the application, the building official may approve it subject to conditions noted if compliance with all conditions will eliminate what would otherwise constitute grounds for denial. If he or she approves it subject to conditions noted, he or she shall state in writing the specific requirements to be met before it is approved.
         (F)   Denial.
            (i)   Grounds for denial. The building official shall deny the application if it does not comply with all of the requirements of this section or contain all required information.
            (ii)   Statement of reasons. If the building official denies the application, he or she shall state in writing the specific reasons for denial.
         (G)   Notice of decision. The building official shall give written notice to the applicant of his or her decision regarding the application. Notice is given either by hand-delivery or by depositing the notice properly addressed and postage paid in the United States mail. If the notice is mailed, it must be sent to the address shown on the application.
   (c)   Revocation of permit. The building official shall revoke the permit if he or she determines that the permittee has:
      (1)   failed to comply with any provision of the code, as amended, except for Section 51A-7.505;
      (2)   made a false statement of material fact on the application; or
      (3)   erected or maintained a sign that endangers the safety of persons or property and is not otherwise in the public interest.
   (d)   Expiration of permit. A permit automatically expires 60 days from the date of its issuance.
   (e)   Permit limit. Once a permit expires or is revoked, no person may apply for another permit for that sign.
   (f)   Appeals. In considering an appeal from a decision of the building official made in the enforcement of this section, the sole issue before the board of adjustment shall be whether or not the building official erred in his or her decision. The board shall consider the same standards that the building official was required to consider in making the decision on the permit.
   (g)   Criminal responsibility. If a sign violates this section and is not otherwise authorized by the code, a person is criminally responsible for a sign unlawfully erected or maintained if the person:
      (1)   erects or maintains the sign;
      (2)   is an owner or operator of a use or business to which the sign refers; or
      (3)   owns part or all of the land on which the sign is located.
   (h)   No representation by the city. The grant of a permit to erect a temporary sign does not mean that an applicant will receive a certificate of appropriateness for any sign. (Ord. Nos. 20954; 24232; 30892)
Division 51A-7.600. Permit Procedures.
SEC. 51A-7.601.   ADMINISTRATION OF ARTICLE BY DIVISION OF BUILDING INSPECTION.
   The provisions of this article shall be administered and enforced by the division of building inspection. (Ord. 19455)
SEC. 51A-7.602.   PERMITS.
   (a)   While all signs not explicitly exempted are subject to the provisions of this article, and while a permit to erect any sign not so exempted may be applied for if desired, a permit is required only for the following signs:
      (1)   Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (b), all signs having an effective area greater than 20 square feet.
      (2)   All signs having a height in excess of eight feet.
      (3)   All illuminated signs.
      (4)   All signs with moving elements.
      (5)   All signs erected or to be erected in or over any public way.
      (6)   Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (b), all signs projecting more than 18 inches from any wall, roof, parapet, or eaves.
   (b)   Pursuant to Section 216.903 of the Texas Local Government Code, a permit is not required for a sign that contains primarily a political message and is located on private real property with the consent of the property owner unless the sign:
      (1)   has an effective area greater than 36 feet;
      (2)   is more than eight feet high;
      (3)   is illuminated; or
      (4)   has any moving elements.
In this subsection, the term “private real property” does not include real property subject to an easement or other encumbrance that allows the city to use the property for a public purpose. This subsection does not apply to a sign, including a billboard, that contains primarily a political message on a temporary basis and that is generally available for rent or purchase to carry commercial advertising or other messages that are not primarily political.
   (c)   Any sign for which a permit is issued shall be inspected after its erection for conformity to the provisions of this article by the division of building inspection. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 25921)
SEC. 51A-7.603.   APPLICATIONS.
   All applicants for permits must comply with the requirements of Subchapter 36 of Chapter 53, the Dallas Building Code. (Ord. Nos. 19455; 20927; 28553)
SEC. 51A-7.604.   RESERVED.
(Ord. 20927)
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