(A) Applicable standards. Every sign and all parts, portions, units, and materials comprising the same, together with the electrical supply, the frame and the background, supports, or anchorage thereof, shall be manufactured, fabricated, assembled, constructed, and erected in compliance with all applicable rules, regulations, or other limitations imposed by village, county, state, or federal agencies. In cases where there is conflict between agency rules, the more restrictive shall apply.
(B) Materials of construction. Only those materials of construction approved by the County Building and Zoning Inspection Department as complying with standard engineering practices shall be used in the manufacture and erection of signs.
(C) Maintenance. Every sign, including, but not limited to, those signs for which permits are required or for which no permits or permit fees are required, shall be maintained in a safe and good condition at all times, including the repair or replacement of defective parts, painting, repainting, cleaning, and other acts required for the maintenance of the sign. The County Building and Zoning Inspector shall require compliance with all standards of this Zoning Code. If the sign is not made to comply with adequate safety and maintenance requirements, the County Building and Zoning Inspector shall require its removal in accordance with this section.
(D) Obsolescence. Signs pertaining to occupants or enterprises who or that are no longer using the premises to which the sign relates shall be removed by the holder of the permit or the owner of the premises within 60 days after the premises have been vacated. Painted wall signs shall be removed within 60 days. Permitted temporary signs, such as construction signs, shall be removed within 14 days following the occurrence or completion of the event or other purpose served by the sign. In the case of construction signs, issuance of a certificate of occupancy shall be deemed completion of the event in the case of new buildings.
(E) Removal and disposal. The County Building and Zoning Inspector shall cause to be removed any sign that is not properly maintained in accordance with division (C) above or which is hazardous as defined in division (F) below which is obsolete under division (D) above.
(1) The County Building and Zoning Inspector shall prepare a notice to the owner of any such sign and/or the occupant of the premises on which any such sign is located, which notice shall describe the sign, specify the violation involved, and state that if the sign is not removed or the violation is not corrected within ten days, the sign shall be removed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) All notices by the County Building and Zoning Inspector under this section shall be sent by certified mail. Any time periods provided in this section shall be deemed to commence on the date of the receipt of the certified mail or the last date of notice of delivery of the certified mail by the postal authorities.
(3) Notwithstanding the above, in cases of emergency, presenting an imminent danger to the public safety, the County Building and Zoning Inspector may cause the immediate removal of a dangerous or defective sign or correction of the danger or defect, without notice to the owner of the sign and/or the occupant of the premises upon which the sign is located.
(4) Any sign removed by the County Building and Zoning Inspector pursuant to the provisions of this section shall become the property of the village and may be disposed of in any manner deemed appropriate by the village. The cost of removal of the sign by the village shall be considered a debt owed to the village by the owner of the sign and/or the owner of the property and may be recovered in an appropriate court action by the village. The cost of removal shall include any and all incidental expenses incurred by the village in connection with the removal of the sign.
(F) Hazardous signs. No sign shall be erected at or near any intersection of any streets or thoroughfares, streets or alleys, or streets and railways, in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, or at any location where, by reason of position, shape, or color, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device. Use of the words “stop,” “look,” “danger,” or any other word, phrase, or symbol, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic, is similarly prohibited.
(Prior Code, § 1284.04) (Ord. 79-15, passed 11-12-1979)