5.01 REGISTRATION OF OFF-PREMISE SIGNS.
(a) (1) The owner of any off-premises sign existing within the City of Fort Worth on November 5, 1997, shall register such sign with the building official and pay the registration fee as required in Table 5.01 on or before January 2, 1998. The owner of any off-premises sign in the extraterritorial jurisdiction shall register such sign with the building official and pay the registration fee as required in Table 5.01 on or before October 1, 2000.
(b) (1) The owner of any off-premise sign installed after November 5, 1997, shall submit an application for registration simultaneously with the sign permit application. This initial registration shall be exempt from the registration fee as required in Table 5.01. If the sign permit is approved and the sign constructed, this initial registration shall expire three years after the date of permit application.
(2) Exceptions: Signs listed in § 6.402 of the zoning ordinance and signs subject to a unified sign agreement shall be exempt from the registration requirements.
(c) (1) Registrations approved under subsections (a) and (b) above and all renewals shall expire after three years. Before such registration or renewal expires the registration must be renewed and the registration fee must be paid in accordance with Table 5.01. It is the owner’s responsibility to monitor expiration dates and to renew the registration in a timely manner.
(2) Exceptions: Based upon staffing and work loads, the building official may adjust expiration dates to be less than three years as long as the fees are appropriately prorated.
(d) (1) Registration shall be applied for on forms provided by the building official. The building official may require the filing of plans or other pertinent information when, in his or her opinion, such information is necessary to ensure compliance with this section.
(2) Whenever information on the form changes, including but not limited to names and addresses, a new registration form shall be filled out by the owner and submitted to the building official within 30 days, along with a change of record fee as required by Table 5.01.
(e) (1) A late fee shall be assessed against the owners of off-premises signs who fail to register as required by this section. The late fee as shown in Table 5.01 shall be assessed if the registration fee is not received within ten calendar days after the due date.
(2) Failure to register or renew registration of a sign within 30 calendar days after the due date in accordance with the provisions of this section shall constitute a violation of this code.