Application for permits to erect, place, paint, relocate or alter a sign shall be made to the Zoning Administrator by the owner, lessee, developer of the property or his authorized representative for the sign. The application shall be submitted on forms furnished by the City and may be made either separately or with the application for a permit for a building. The fee shall be established by separate ordinance and paid with the application. If any work is commenced prior to the issuance of a permit and the payment of the appropriate fees, the regular fees applicable to the permit in question shall be tripled.
(b) Permit Not Required. A permit is not required for any temporary sign listed below, provided that the sign is located on the lot relating to the sign. However, all such signs shall be subject to the applicable regulations contained in this chapter.
(1) One residential, commercial and industrial real estate sign per lot not exceeding five square feet in area and located at least two feet behind the right-of-way.
(2) Garage sale or other similar signs of a personal nature in a residential district not exceeding three square feet and displayed no longer than three days.
(3) Not more than one ground political sign for every forty feet of lot width, or fraction thereof, each sign not exceeding sixteen square feet per side, may be erected on any property, with the owner's permission, and be located at least two feet behind the right-of-way line. The sign(s) shall be securely placed in order to prevent being displaced by weather conditions. The following additional regulations shall apply to all political signs:
A. The sign shall not be posted in the public right-of-way, tree lawns located within the public rights-of-way or any property owned or leased by the City, the state, the United States of America or any other public entity without the consent of such governmental entity.
B. No sign shall be erected on a vacant lot or on a lot with an unoccupied building.
C. The political signs shall not be illuminated.
D. Political signs placed on private property that do not meet the regulations contained in this chapter shall cause the Zoning Administrator to notify, in writing or by telephone, the property owner, candidate or authorized agent thereof, to alter or remove such non-conforming signs within forty-eight hours following the initial contact. Any political signs remaining in non-compliance shall be removed by the Building Department, Police Department and/or Service Department and stored at the Service Department complex for a minimum of seventy-two hours and shall thereafter be destroyed.
E. Political signs placed in the public right-of-way, tree lawns located within the public rights-of-way or any property owned or leased by the City, the state, the United States of America or any other public entity without the consent of such governmental entity shall be removed by the Building Department, Police Department and/or Service Department and stored at the Service Department complex for a minimum of seventy-two hours and shall thereafter be destroyed.
(c) Contents of Applications. Each application shall present the information required below through use of photographs and drawings at a scale which clearly shows details and design of the sign.
(1) The design and colored layout of each sign proposed, including the total area of all signs and the area, height, character, materials, colors and type of lettering or other symbols or individual signs. Material samples may be requested.
(2) Photographs or drawings of the building for which the signs are proposed.
(3) The number and types of lamps and lens material to be used in any illuminated signs and data showing that the illumination meets the standards established in Section 1268.05(f) including rays to illuminating areas.
(4) A dimensional site plan and building elevation showing the exact location of each sign in relation to the building and property lines. Also included shall be the dimensions of the width of the building or building unit face or faces and the lot or lots not occupied by buildings, al1 used for calculation purposes.
(5) Details and specifications for construction, erection and attachment as may be required by the Building Code including the name of the sign contractor or company.
(d) Application Review. The Zoning Administrator shall forward the application and drawings to the Planning Commission for review of:
(1) Conformance with the requirements of this chapter.
(2) Appropriateness of size, scale, shape, color and illumination in relation to building size.
(3) Location and relationship to signs currently existing.
(4) Conflicting applications for the same development area shall be resolved by the Planning Commission. Permanent signs shall take precedence over temporary signs.
(e) Application Approval. In the event the application complies with the provisions of this chapter, the Zoning Administrator shall approve the proposed sign. If a variance is required, the Zoning Administrator shall submit the application and the appropriate fees to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
(f) Temporary Signs. In addition to the other sign requirements, temporary signs shall comply with the following regulations.
(1) Time limit.
A. Temporary real estate signs advertising leased space shall be displayed no sooner than sixty days prior to a known vacancy and must be removed immediately when all vacancies are filled.
B. Real estate signs requiring permits and project temporary signs shall be issued for a period of 365 days and are renewable on re-application to the Building Department for an additional 365-day period. Additional renewals must be approved by the Planning Commission.
C. Special event and directional temporary signs shall have time limits and locations specified by the Safety-Service Director.
(2) Bond or cash deposit. Bond or cash deposit shall be posted at the time of application to guarantee the cost of removal. Bond or cash deposit shall be set by separate ordinance.
(3) Sign identification. Each sign location shall be listed on the permit. Date of permit expiration shall appear on each sign.
(4) Safety-Service Director approval. The following signs may be approved by the Safety-Service Director and do not require a deposit:
A. Municipal or governmental signs.
B. Special event signs.
(Ord. 179-02. Passed 1-2-03.)