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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.
SEC. 51A-7.1701. DESIGNATION OF VICTORY SIGN DISTRICT.
SEC. 51A-7.1702. DESIGNATION OF SUBDISTRICTS.
SEC. 51A-7.1703. PURPOSE.
SEC. 51A-7.1704. DEFINITIONS.
SEC. 51A-7.1705. APPLICABILITY OF HIGHWAY BEAUTIFICATION ACTS.
SEC. 51A-7.1706. VICTORY DISTRICT SIGN PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
SEC. 51A-7.1707. IMITATION OF TRAFFIC AND EMERGENCY SIGNS PROHIBITED.
SEC. 51A-7.1708. OTHER CODES NOT IN CONFLICT, APPLICABLE.
SEC. 51A-7.1709. CREATION OF SITE.
SEC. 51A-7.1710. DETACHED SIGN UNITY AGREEMENTS.
SEC. 51A-7.1711. GENERAL MAINTENANCE.
SEC. 51A-7.1712. GOVERNMENT SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1713. SIGNS OVER THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.
SEC. 51A-7.1714. COMMERCIAL VERSUS NONCOMMERCIAL MESSAGES.
SEC. 51A-7.1715. PREMISE VERSUS NON-PREMISE ADVERTISEMENT.
SEC. 51A-7.1716. MOVEMENT CONTROL SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1717. SIGNS IN PUBLIC PLACES.
SEC. 51A-7.1718. PROTECTIVE SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1719. VEHICULAR SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1720. STREET CONSTRUCTION ALLEVIATION SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1721. ATTACHED SIGNS ON MACHINERY OR EQUIPMENT.
SEC. 51A-7.1722. DISTRICT IDENTIFICATION SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1723. DETACHED SIGNS IN ACCESS EASEMENTS.
SEC. 51A-7.1724. STREAMERS, PENNANTS, AND INFLATABLE SIGNS PROHIBITED.
SEC. 51A-7.1725. GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR ALL SIGNS.
SEC. 51A-7.1726. SIGN REGULATIONS FOR SUBDISTRICT A (THE ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX SUBDISTRICT).
SEC. 51A-7.1727. SIGN REGULATIONS FOR SUBDISTRICT B (RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT SUBDISTRICT).
SEC. 51A-7.1728. SIGN REGULATIONS FOR SUBDISTRICT C (EXPRESSWAY ADJACENCY SUBDISTRICT).
SEC. 51A-7.1729. SIGN REGULATIONS FOR SUBDISTRICT D (OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL SUBDISTRICT).
SEC. 51A-7.1730. NON-CONFORMANCE AND BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AUTHORITY.
SEC. 51A-7.1731. RELOCATION OF NON- PREMISE SIGNS PROHIBITED.
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-7.1709.   CREATION OF SITE.
   Except for signs located wholly within the public right-of-way, the building official shall not issue a permit for construction, erection, placement, or maintenance of a sign until a site is established in one of the following ways:
      (1)   A lot is part of a plat which is approved by the city plan commission and filed in the plat records of Dallas County, Texas.
      (2)   Tracts that are governed by a detached sign unity agreement in accordance with Section 51A-7.1710. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918)
SEC. 51A-7.1710.   DETACHED SIGN UNITY AGREEMENTS.
   (a)   The building official may authorize the dissolution of common boundary lines between lots for the limited purpose of allowing those lots to be considered one premise for the erection of detached signs if a written agreement is executed in accordance with this section on a form provided by the city.
   (b)   The agreement must:
      (1)   contain legal descriptions of the properties sharing the common boundary line(s);
      (2)   set forth adequate consideration between the parties;
      (3)   state that all parties agree that the properties sharing the common boundary line(s) may be collectively treated as one lot for the limited purpose of erecting detached signs;
      (4)   state that the dissolution of the common boundary line(s) described in the agreement is only for the limited purpose of allowing the erection of detached signs, and that actual lines of property ownership are not affected;
      (5)   state that it constitutes a covenant running with the land with respect to all properties sharing the common boundary line(s);
      (6)   state that all parties agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the city of Dallas from and against all claims or liabilities arising out of or in connection with the agreement;
      (7)   state that it shall be governed by the laws of the state of Texas;
      (8)   state that it may only be amended or terminated by a subsequent written instrument that is:
         (A)   signed by an owner of property sharing the common boundary line(s) or by a lienholder, other than a taxing entity, that has either an interest in a property sharing the common boundary line(s) or an improvement on such a property;
         (B)   approved by the building official;
         (C)   approved as to form by the city attorney; and
         (D)   filed and made a part of the deed records of Dallas County, Texas;
      (9)   be approved by the building official and be approved as to form by the city attorney;
      (10)   be signed by all owners of the properties sharing the common boundary line(s);
      (11)   be signed by all lienholders, other than taxing entities, that have either an interest in the properties sharing the common boundary line(s) or an improvement on those properties; and
      (12)   be filed and made a part of the deed records of Dallas County, Texas.
   (c)   The building official shall approve an agreement if all properties governed by the agreement fully comply with the regulations in this division.
   (d)   An agreement shall not be considered effective until a true and correct copy of the approved agreement is filed in the deed records in accordance with this section and two file-marked copies of the agreement are filed with the building official.
   (e)   An agreement may only be amended or terminated by a written instrument that is executed in accordance with this subsection on a form provided by the city. The instrument must be:
      (1)   signed by an owner of property sharing the common boundary line(s) or by a lienholder, other than a taxing entity, that has either an interest in a property sharing the common boundary line(s) or an improvement on such a property;
      (2)   approved by the building official;
      (3)   approved as to form by the city attorney; and
      (4)   filed and made a part of the deed records of Dallas County, Texas.
The building official shall approve an instrument amending or terminating an agreement if all properties governed by the agreement fully comply with the regulations in this division. The amending or terminating instrument shall not be considered effective until it is filed in the deed records in accordance with this subsection and two file-marked copies are filed with the building official.
   (f)   No detached non-premise sign may be erected or maintained on a property that is described in an agreement executed in accordance with this section. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918)
SEC. 51A-7.1711.   GENERAL MAINTENANCE.
   (a)   In general. Sign and sign supports must be maintained in a state of good repair and neat appearance at all times.
   (b)   Revocation of permit.
      (1)   The building official shall revoke, in writing, the sign permit for a sign if it has for a period of one year:
         (A)   displayed obsolete advertising matter;
         (B)   been without advertising matter; or
         (C)   been damaged in excess of 50 percent of the cost of replacement of the sign.
      (2)   The owner of the sign is liable to the city for a civil penalty in the amount of $200 a day for each calendar day that the sign is maintained without a required permit. The building official shall give written notice to the property owner of the amount owed to the city in civil penalties, and shall notify the city attorney of any unpaid civil penalty. The city attorney shall collect unpaid civil penalties in a suit on the city’s behalf.
      (3)   The civil penalty provided for in Paragraph (2) is in addition to any other enforcement remedy the city may have under city ordinances and state law. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918)
SEC. 51A-7.1712.   GOVERNMENT SIGNS.
   (a)   Except as provided in Subsection (b), nothing in this division shall be construed to regulate the display of a government sign.
   (b)   Safe school zone signs must satisfy the following requirements.
      (1)   Each sign must be erected within 600 feet of a school.
      (2)   No sign may exceed five square feet in effective area.
      (3)   At least 80 percent of the effective area of each sign must be devoted to a governmental message.
      (4)   Up to 20 percent of the effective area of each sign may be devoted to the identification of a sponsor. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918)
SEC. 51A-7.1713.   SIGNS OVER THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.
   (a)   Signs may be located in or project over the public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, sidewalks, subject to the licensing and franchise requirements of Chapter XIV of the city charter, Article VI of Chapter 43 of the Dallas City Code, as amended, and the requirements of this section.
   (b)   The traffic engineer shall review the location of any sign located in or overhanging the public right-of-way to ensure that the sign will not pose a traffic hazard or visibility obstruction. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918; 28424)
SEC. 51A-7.1714.   COMMERCIAL VERSUS NONCOMMERCIAL MESSAGES.
   (a)   Notwithstanding any other provision of this ordinance, any sign that may display a commercial message may also display a noncommercial message, either in place of or in addition to the commercial message, so long as the sign complies with other requirements of this ordinance that do not pertain to the content of the message displayed.
   (b)   Notwithstanding any other provision of this ordinance, any sign that may display one type of noncommercial message may also display any other type of noncommercial message, so long as the sign complies with other requirements of this ordinance that do not pertain to the content of the message displayed. (Ord. Nos. 24348; 25918)
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