It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, repair, alter, relocate or keep within the city any sign or other advertising structure as defined in this subchapter without first obtaining a sign permit from the Code Enforcement Officer or other duly authorized officer of the city and paying the fee required by this section.
(A) Application for initial sign permit.
(1) Application for initial sign permits shall be made upon forms provided by the Code Enforcement Officer or other duly authorized officer of the city, and shall contain or have attached thereto the following information:
(a) Name, address and telephone number of the applicant or owner;
(b) Location of building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be attached or erected;
(c) Position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings or structures;
(d) Two clean prints or ink drawings of plans, to true scale with the scale noted;
(e) Name of person, firm, corporation or association erecting sign;
(f) Written consent of the owner of the building, structure or land to which or on which the sign is to be erected; and
(g) Any other information required by the Code Enforcement Officer in administering this subchapter.
(2) The city shall approve or deny the application within 30 days of receipt of a properly completed application.
(B) Sign permit fees.
(1) Every applicant, before being granted a permit hereunder shall pay to the city a permit fee in accordance with the schedule in division (2) below. The sign permit shall expire on the last day of the calendar month, one year from the date of issue.
(2) Schedule of fees.
Display Surface Area | Permit Fee |
Up to 16 sq. ft. | $50 |
17 to 50 sq. ft. | $75 |
51 to 100 sq. ft. | $100 |
101 to 300.sq. ft. | $150 |
301 to 672 sq. ft. | $300 |
Over 672 sq. ft. | $400 |
(3) Existing signs.
(a) All other applicants for a permit for an existing nonconforming sign as hereinbefore defined shall file an application for a permit and pay the fee therefor.
(b) No permit shall be issued for an existing sign unless:
1. The sign is permitted under the then current city zoning regulations; or
2. The sign is a nonconforming sign as hereinabove defined.
(4) Changes in ownership or display material. A permit application and fee shall be required for a sign where more than 50% of the display is altered (other than repainting the original sign display) or where there is a change in the ownership of the sign.
(5) Permit for a portable or temporary signs. No permit shall be issued for a temporary or portable sign.
(C) Issuance of sign permits. It shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer, upon the filing of an application for a sign permit to examine the plans and specifications and other data and the premises upon which it is proposed to erect the sign or other advertising structure. If it appears that the proposed structure is in compliance with all the requirements of this subchapter and all other ordinances of the city, he or she shall issue the sign permit. Each sign shall require a separate permit valid only for the location shown thereon. The Code Enforcement Officer shall not be authorized to issue an initial sign permit for a billboard or advertising sign prohibited in the city unless the applicant proves to the Code Enforcement Officer’s reasonable satisfaction that the sign qualifies as a legal nonconforming sign.
(Ord. G-D8, Series 1992, passed 10-27-92; Am. Ord. G-D6, Series 2001-2002, passed 5-28-02; Am. Ord. 3, Series 2022-2023, passed 11-15-22) Penalty, see § 151.99