(A) Enforcement official. The primary enforcement official for the village shall be the Zoning Officer.
(B) Permit requirements.
(1) Building permit and compliance required. No person shall erect, alter, repair or relocate any sign without first obtaining a building permit for the work from the Zoning Officer of the village or designated person by the Zoning Officer of the village. No permit shall be issued until the Zoning Officer determines that the work is in compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and the Village Building Code.
(2) Application for permit. Every application for sign permit shall be accompanied by plans, drawn to scale and include:
(a) The name, address and telephone number of the owner or persons entitled to possession of the sign and the sign contractor;
(b) The location, by street address of the proposed sign structure;
(c) The dimensions of the sign and, where applicable, the dimensions of the wall surface to which it is to be attached;
(d) The distance the sign is set back from the roadway, building setback, building/store frontage and building height to the eaves line;
(e) The dimensions of the sign’s supporting members;
(f) A color rendering of the proposed sign;
(g) The proposed location of the sign in relation to the face of the building in front of which or above which it is to be erected;
(h) The proposed location of the sign in relation to the boundaries of the lot upon which it is to be situated;
(i) When the sign is proposed to be attached to an existing building, a current photograph of the face of the building to which the sign is to be attached; and
(j) If the proposed sign is to be illuminated in any manner, the proposed method of illumination and the amount of light generated by foot-candles is to be submitted.
(3) Permit and inspection fees. Consult the current village fee schedule.
(4) Issuance of permit; withdrawal and renewal. It shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer, upon receipt of an application, to examine the plans and other data, including the premises upon which the sign is proposed. If the application and supporting data are determined to be in compliance with the provisions of this subchapter and the Village Building Code, a permit shall be issued. If a permit is not obtained within 90 days after the applicant has been notified that the plans are approved, the Code Enforcement Officer shall assume that the application is withdrawn and may destroy the plans and supporting documentation. A re-application for action on the plans shall require a new set of plans and new fees.
(5) Expiration of permit. If the work authorized by a sign permit has not been completed within six months after the date of initiation of construction, the permit shall become null and void, and there shall be no refund of any fee required by this section.
(C) Maintenance and removal. Where more restrictive, the standards set forth in the BOCA National Building Code, 1993 Edition, and the BOCA Property Maintenance Code (1993 Edition) shall take precedence over the regulations of this subchapter.
(D) Existing signs. All existing signs under the jurisdiction of this subchapter rendered nonconforming by adoption of this subchapter shall be permitted to remain in use, subject to the following provisions:
(1) Any sign not in conformance with the allowable area (square feet) or allowable height (lineal feet) provisions of this subchapter by an amount less than 20% in excess of the allowable area or allowable height shall be permitted to remain in use throughout the useful life of the sign; and
(2) Any sign not in conformance with the allowable area or allowable height provisions of this subchapter by an amount equal to or more than 20% in excess of the allowable area or allowable height or is nonconforming with any other provision of this subchapter must be brought into conformance by modification, replacement or removal of the nonconforming sign when:
(a) More than 50% of the nonconforming sign must be replaced due to physical deterioration or damage; or
(b) The business to which the sign pertains is sold, relocated or has ceased operation for a period of six months.
(Ord. 788, passed 8-17-2005)