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 § 153.20 of this subchapter without first obtaining a sign permit from the sign officer or other duly authorized officer of the city and paying the fee required by this section.
(A) Application for initial (original) sign permit. Application for initial (original) sign permits shall be made upon completion of application form provided by the sign officer, and shall contain or have attached thereto the following information:
(1) Name, address and telephone number of the applicant owner.
(2) Location of building, structure or lot to which or upon which the sign is to be attached or erected.
(3) Position of the sign in relation to nearby buildings or structures.
(4) Clean prints or ink drawings of plans, to true scale with the scale noted, and with materials and details of construction. (Two required)
(5) Name of person, firm, corporation, or association erecting sign.
(6) Written consent of the owner of the building, structure or land to which or on which the structure is to be erected.
(7) The date on which the sign was erected, if already in place, or the date to be erected.
(8) Any other information required by the sign officer in administering this subchapter.
(B) Application for renewal sign permit. Application for a renewal sign permit shall be made upon completion of application form provided by the code enforcement officer, and may require the same information as is required for an initial sign permit or may have a copy of the initial sign permit application attached thereto.
(C) Sign permit fees.
(1) Original and renewal permit fees. Every applicant, before being granted a permit hereunder shall pay to the city a permit fee of $1 per square foot of each face as defined in the Louisville and Jefferson County Development Code, with a minimum fee of $25. Renewal application may be made up to 30 days prior to permit expiration.
(D) Expiration date. All sign permits shall expire on December 31 of the year when issued, and shall be considered delinquent if not renewed by January 15 of the following year.
(E) Special initial rules. For signs existing on April 1, 1997, the permit fee shall be waived if proper sign permit application is made on or before May 15, 1997. If the permit application is made after May 15, 1997, the full fee shall be due as for an original sign permit.
(F) Existing signs. An applicant for a permit for a sign in existence on April 1, 1997, shall file an application for an original sign permit marked "renewal". The issuance of a permit for an existing sign shall not be evidence that such sign conforms to the regulations of the Louisville and Jefferson County Planning Commission or ordinances of the city.
(G) Changes in ownership or display material. An original 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.
(H) Issuance of sign permits. It shall be the duty of the sign officer, upon the filing of an application for a sign permit to examine such plans and specifications and other data and the premises upon which it is proposed to erect the sign or other advertising structure, and, if it shall appear that the proposed structure is in compliance with all the requirements of this subchapter and all other ordinances of the city, subject to the provisions of § 153.21, he shall issue the sign permit. Each sign shall require a separate permit valid only for the location shown thereon. If the work authorized under the sign permit has not been completed within six months after date of issuance, said permit shall become null and void. It shall also be the duty of the sign officer to issue renewals of sign permits for all signs complying with the terms of this subchapter (or exceptions thereto) for which previous sign permit has been issued. No permit shall be issued for any sign erected on or after April 1, 1997, which does not comply with the provisions of Article 11 of the Zoning District Regulations of Jefferson County, Kentucky, as adopted by the city, or any other city ordinance relating to signs or zoning.
(I) Revocation of permit. The authorized city official may revoke any permit where there has been a violation of the provisions of this subchapter or any misrepresentation of fact on the permit application.