(a) The continuance of an existing sign which does not meet the regulations and requirements of this chapter shall be deemed a nonconforming sign but is not subject to the conditions outlined in Chapter 1153. All nonconforming signs must meet the provisions of this ordinance at the time any of the following events occur.
(1) When the sign is associated with an abandoned use.
(2) When the sign remains after the termination of a business. A business has ceased operations if it is closed to the public for at least 90 consecutive days and no active building permit is on file for remodeling or reconstruction. Seasonal businesses are exempt from this determination.
(3) When the sign is not maintained or does not conform to the following:
A. All signs, together with all supports, braces, guys and anchors shall be kept in repair and in proper state preservation. The display surfaces of all signs shall be subject to periodic inspection.
B. Every sign and the immediately surrounding premises shall be maintained by the owner or person in charge thereof in a clean, sanitary and inoffensive condition free and clear of all obnoxious substances, rubbish and weeds.
C. Should any sign become unsafe or in danger of falling, the owner thereof or the person responsible for maintaining the sign shall proceed at once to put such sign in a safe and secure condition or shall remove the sign. When the Zoning Inspector or his designee finds, upon the investigation, that a sign is unsafe and/or unsound structurally, he shall notify the owner of the said sign, together with the owner of the land on which the sign is located, by certified mail of his findings. Such notice shall advise the owner that the sign has been declared abandoned and/or unsafe and/or structurally unsound and must be removed within ten (10) days for an unsafe and/or structurally unsound sign. The owner may request an opinion as to the existence of a violation from the Board of Zoning Appeals as provided for in Section 1127 of the Zoning Code. If an unsafe, or structurally unsound sign is not removed as ordered and the owner has not requested an opinion as to the existence of the violation from the Board of Zoning Appeals, the same may be removed at the expense of the lessee or owner after ten (10) days of notice for an unsafe or structurally unsound sign. If the Municipality is not immediately reimbursed for such costs, the amount thereof shall be certified to the County Auditor for collection as a special assessment against the property on which the sign is located.
(4) Abandonment shall be determined based upon the above definitions, at a public hearing of the Board of Zoning Appeals. Upon finding that signage is abandoned, the right to maintain and use such sign shall terminate immediately.
(b) Enlargement, replacement or other modifications resulting from change in business, change in sign design, lapse of time for continuous business operation (180 days) or whether the cost to repair or maintain an existing sign exceeds fifty (50%) percent of the replacement value of the sign.
(c) A nonconforming sign shall not be structurally relocated or replaced unless it is brought into compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Should any replacement or relocation take place without being brought into compliance, the sign shall be existing illegally.
(d) A nonconforming sign shall be maintained as required in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) The size and structural shape shall not be changed or altered. The copy may be changed provided that the change applies to the original nonconforming use associated with the sign and that the change is made by the owner of the sign at the time the sign became nonconforming; the copy area shall not be enlarged. Any subsequent owner or user shall bring the sign into compliance within 30 days.
(2) In case damage occurs to the sign extent of 60% or more of either the structure or the replacement value of the sign, the sign shall be brought into compliance. Where damage in the sign is less than 60% of the structure or its replacement value, the sign shall be repaired within 60 days.
(e) If any sign installed, erected, constructed or maintained in violation of any provision of this Chapter, except for nonconforming signs in compliance with Section 1187.12, the Zoning Inspector or his designee shall notify the owner if user thereof to comply with the provisions of this chapter by certified mail. If the owner or user fails to comply with such notice, and the owner has not requested an opinion as to the existence of the violation from the Board of Zoning Appeals, or, after a reasonable search, cannot be found, the Zoning Inspector or his designee shall cause such graphic or such portion thereof as is constructed or maintained in violation of this chapter to be taken down; the expense of which shall be paid by the owner or user. Unless clearly specified otherwise, the property owner will be considered to be the presumptive owner of said sign. However, nothing herein contained shall prevent the Zoning Inspector or his designee from adopting such precautionary measures as may seem to him necessary or advisable in case imminent danger to place the graphic in safe condition, the expense of which shall be paid by the owner of the premises or recovered against him in the manner as further described in this section.
If a violation of a provision of this Chapter is repeated within 180 days of a previous violation of the same provision of this chapter by the owner or user subject of the previous violation on the same property as the previous violation, such sign maybe seized immediately and a charge assessed for removal without additional notification.
Fees for removal shall be immediately due and payable to the Municipality. Notice of such assessment shall be given to the owner or user by mailing such notice to the address utilized by the County Treasurer for tax billing purposes and by posting a Notice of Assessment at the subject premises where the sign owner and property owner are the same. All assessments not paid within ten (10) days after such mailing and posting, after approval by Council, shall be certified by Finance Director to the County Auditor to be placed on the tax duplicate and collected as other taxes are collected.
The City may also collect such costs together with interest through a civil action in the appropriate court of law having jurisdiction thereof and seek such additional orders from a court of competent jurisdiction as many be necessary from time to time in order to enforce the provisions of this section.
Every owner or occupant of real estate in the Municipality impliedly grants a license to the Zoning Inspector, his designee or Municipal employees to enter upon real property in the Municipality without the consent of the owner or user for the purposes of fulfilling the provisions of this section. (Ord. 27-01. Passed 9-4-01.)