All signs shall be maintained in accordance with the following:
(a) The property owner, owner of the sign, tenant, and agent are required to maintain the sign and building in a condition fit for the intended use and in good repair, and such person or persons have a continuing obligation to comply with all Building Code requirements.
(b) A sign in good repair shall be free of peeling or faded paint, shall not be damaged, show uneven soiling or rust streaks; shall not have chipped, cracked, broken, bent letters, panels or framing; shall not otherwise show deterioration; and shall comply with all other applicable maintenance standards of the City.
(c) If the sign is deemed by the Zoning Inspector to be in disrepair or in an unsafe condition, such sign shall be considered an unsafe structure and all City regulations applicable for the repair or removal of such sign shall apply. If the City finds that any sign is unsafe, insecure, a menace to the public, or constructed, erected, or maintained in violation of the provisions of this Code, notice shall be given in writing by the City to the owner. The owner of the sign shall, within seven (7) days of such notification, correct such unsafe condition or remove the sign. If the correction has not been made within the allotted time, the sign may be removed or altered by the City to comply with these regulations at the expense of the owner or occupant of the property upon which the sign is located. The City may cause any sign, which, in the City's opinion, creates a danger to persons or property to be removed immediately and without notice.
(d) Whenever any sign that is currently nonconforming to this Code, and is required to be removed or altered for the purpose of repair, re-lettering, re-facing, or repainting, the sign will be subject to the City's sign permitting and review process in order to bring the sign into compliance.
(e) Whenever any sign that is currently conforming to these standards is required to be removed for the purpose of repair, re-lettering, re-facing, or repainting, the same may be done without a permit, or any payment of fees, provided there is no alteration or enlargement to the structure or the mounting of the sign itself.
(f) Abandoned Signs & Failure to Maintain.
1. In the event that a tenant vacates a premises the owner of such premises, shall, within ten (10) days after such premises has been vacated, remove all signs owned or erected by such tenant, unless a new tenant or the owner of such premises maintains such signs in good repair and in a safe condition at all times.
2. When the use or required maintenance of any sign is discontinued, the owner of such sign shall immediately remove the same.
3. Any non-conforming sign which is unused for a continuous period of three (3) months or which advertises business activities, products, or services which have been discontinued or abandoned for a period in excess of three (3) months shall be removed or altered to comply with the provisions of this Chapter. (Ord. 2015-8. Passed 8-25-15.)