A. Ideological and Political Signs. No provision of this article shall prohibit an ideological, political or other noncommercial message on a sign otherwise permitted by this article.
B. Prohibited Signs. Signs are prohibited if they:
1. Contain obscene matters, as defined in Section 311 of the Penal Code of the State of California.
4. Are revolving and where all or any portion rotate at greater than six revolutions per minute.
6. Are affixed to any vehicle or trailer on private property if the vehicle or trailer is not intended to be otherwise used in the business and the sole purpose of attaching the sign to the vehicle or trailer is to attract people to a place of business.
7. Emit audible sounds, odor or visible matter.
8. Use human beings, live animals, animated figures, motion pictures or slide projectors in connection with any sign.
9. Are supergraphic signs. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,712, Eff. 1/23/23, Oper. 1/22/24; Ord. No. 187,930, Eff. 7/7/23.)
EXCEPTIONS: This prohibition shall not apply to supergraphic signs that are specifically permitted pursuant to a legally adopted specific plan, supplemental use district or an approved development agreement. This exception shall become operative only to the extent that Subdivision 9. is deemed constitutional upon the reversal of the trial court decision in the case of World Wide Rush, LLC v. City of Los Angeles, United States District Court Case No. CV 07-238 ABC.
In addition, notwithstanding the provisions of Sec. 13B.10.1. (General Provisions) of Chapter 1A of this Code, this prohibition shall not apply to any building permit issued prior to the effective date of this ordinance if the Department of Building and Safety determines that both substantial liabilities have been incurred, and substantial work has been performed on site, in accordance with the terms of that permit pursuant to Section 91.106.4.3.1 of Chapter 9 of this Code.
10. (Deleted by Ord. No. 182,706, Eff. 10/12/13.)
11. Are off-site signs, including off-site digital displays. This prohibition shall also apply to alterations, enlargements or conversions to digital displays of legally existing off-site signs with regard to the following exceptions: (Amended by Ord. No. 187,145, Eff. 9/30/21.)
EXCEPTIONS: This prohibition shall not apply to:
(a) alterations that conform to the provisions of Section 91.6216 and all other requirements of this Code; or
(b) off-site signs specifically permitted pursuant to a relocation agreement entered into pursuant to California Business and Professions Code Section 5412; or
(c) off-site signs, including off-site digital displays, that are specifically permitted pursuant to a legally adopted specific plan, supplemental use district or an approved development agreement; or
(d) non-digital off-site signs that are authorized by a valid building permit for a temporary sign on temporary construction walls or on fences of solid wood or similar material surrounding vacant lots pursuant to Section 14.4.17.
12. Are inflatable devices, except when inflatable devices are specifically permitted pursuant to a legally adopted specific plan, supplemental use district or an approved development agreement.
C. Prohibited Locations.
1. No sign or sign support structure shall project into any public alley, except that a sign or sign support structure above a height of 14 feet may project no more than six inches into a public alley.
2. No sign or sign support structure shall be located less than six feet horizontally or 12 feet vertically from overhead electrical conductors, which are energized in excess of 750 volts. The term “overhead electrical conductors” as used here shall mean any electrical conductor, either bare or insulated, installed above ground, except electrical conductors that are enclosed in iron pipe or other material covering of equal strength. Arcs of six foot radius may be used to define corners of prohibition area.
3. No sign or sign support structure shall be erected in a visibility triangle as defined by Sections 12.21 C.7. and 62.200 of this Code.
4. No sign or sign support structure shall be located within two feet of the curb or edge of any roadway.
D. Maintenance.
1. Appearance. Every sign shall be maintained in a clean, safe and good working condition, including the replacement of defective parts, defaced or broken faces, lighting and other acts required for the maintenance of the sign. The display surfaces shall be kept neatly painted or posted at all times.
2. Debris Removal. The base of any sign erected on the ground shall be kept clear of weeds, rubbish or other combustible material at all times.
3. Abandoned Signage. Ninety days after the cessation of a business activity, service or product, the related signs shall be removed, or the face of the signs shall be removed and replaced with blank panels or shall be painted out.
E. Sign Illumination Limitations. No sign shall be arranged and illuminated in a manner that will produce a light intensity of greater than three foot candles above ambient lighting, as measured at the property line of the nearest residentially zoned property.
F. Combination Signs. A sign, which is subject to more than one classification, shall meet the requirements for the classification to which each portion is subject.
G. Flag Lots. For purposes of this article, flag lots containing less than 50 feet of street frontage shall be allotted 50 feet of street frontage for the purpose of determining the type of sign permitted and for the allowable sign area.
H. Street Address Numbers. No sign shall be maintained on any property unless the street address of the property is maintained in accordance with the provisions of Section 63.113 of this Code.
I. Sign Permit Priority Status.
1. To maintain location, area, frontage, or spacing status, signs must be installed within six months of issuance of a building permit or prior to expiration of any permit extension granted by the Department of Building and Safety.
2. Where more than one permit has been issued and the effect of those permits when considered together results in a violation of this article, all permits except the permit with the earlier date and time of issuance shall be invalid.