(A) All signs shall be constructed and mounted in compliance with the West Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. All signs and components thereof shall be maintained in good repair and in a safe, neat, and clean condition.
(B) Safety hazard. The Zoning Officer may cause to have removed or repaired immediately without written notice any sign that has become insecure, in danger of falling, or otherwise unsafe, and, as such, presents an immediate threat to the safety of the public. If such action is necessary to render a sign safe, the cost of such emergency removal or repair shall be charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within 30 days of notice of charges.
(C) Nuisance. Any sign that constitutes a nuisance shall be abated by the owner within 30 days of notice by the Zoning Officer. At any time, the Zoning Officer may cause the nuisance to be abated with the costs charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within 30 days of notice of charges.
(D) Illegal sign and disrepair. Any sign that is illegal or in disrepair shall be made conforming, removed, or repaired within 30 days of notice from the Zoning Officer. Signs of disrepair include chipped paint, missing or significantly faded letters or other aspects of the sign, cracked portions of the sign face, broken lighting, graffiti, and unleveled portions of the sign structure or face. If an illegal sign or a sign in disrepair is not made conforming or repaired, the Zoning Officer may cause the sign to be removed or repaired and the cost of such removal or repair shall be charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within 30 days of notice of charges.
(E) Expired permit. Any sign for which a permit has expired shall be removed within five days of the permit expiration. If the sign is not removed, the Zoning Officer may cause the sign to be removed and the cost of such removal shall be charged to the owner, person having control, or person receiving benefit from such sign, with payment due within 30 days of notice of charges.
(F) The owner of any commercial sign, whether conforming or nonconforming located on commercial property where the use or business has ceased operating shall, within 60 days of the cessation of the use or business operation, remove temporary signs and all aspects of any permanent sign with a commercial message. Property owners may request, in writing, a waiver of such requirement, if the businesses are temporarily or seasonally operational, is remodeling, or otherwise has the good will intention of resuming the use within one year of time of cessation.
(Ord. 301, passed 8-18-2022) Penalty, see § 152.999