(A) The purpose of this chapter is to regulate signs in the city. Signs have an obvious impact on the character, quality, and economic health of the City of Madera. As a prominent part of the scenery, signs may attract the viewing public, help set the visual tone of the community, and affect the safety of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. This chapter shall prevent the degradation of the visual quality of the city which can result from the proliferation of excessive amounts of signage, poorly designed signage, inappropriately located signage, and/or signage maintained in a hazardous or unsightly fashion. The intent of this chapter is to:
(1) Advance the economic vitality of the city;
(2) Improve the character and natural beauty of the community and its various neighborhoods and districts;
(3) Promote the visibility of businesses through signage;
(4) Enhance the public’s ability to identify uses and premises without confusion;
(5) Prevent the proliferation of sign clutter;
(6) Ensure the safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic;
(7) Provide specific instruction for the permitting of signage within the city; and
(8) Implement the community design objectives expressed in the General Plan’s Vision 2025.
(B) Signs in the city shall:
(1) Be of sufficient quality as to enhance rather than detract from the aesthetic value of structures and places;
(2) Be proportionate to the scale of architecture;
(3) Be compatible to the environment in which the signage is proposed to be located;
(4) Be sensibly sized for public view;
(5) Be commensurate with the purpose of the zone district in which the signage is proposed to be located;
(6) Provide information as opposed to advertisement; and
(7) Should never compromise the safety of the public.
(Ord. 864 C.S., passed 11-4-09)