1339.28 MUNICIPAL TOURIST ATTRACTION DIRECTIONAL SIGNS.

   After demonstration of eligibility by meeting the threshold qualifications as set forth in this regulation, the City provides Municipal Tourist Attraction Directional Signs which are intended to provide directional information for facilities located within the City and whose activity includes substantial numbers of customers not residing in the City. If approved, the signs are erected by, owned, maintained and subject to removal by the City.

   (a)   Qualifications to Apply. A facility must meet all of the following criteria to qualify for a Municipal Tourist Attraction Directional Sign.

      (1)   Eligible facilities shall be limited to lodging facilities, museums, sport venues, community theaters, nature attractions and amusement parks meeting the criteria set forth in this code as determined solely by the City Engineer.

      (2)   The facility must have regular hours for commercial transactions on site and open to the public for at least five days a week, which five days must include a Saturday or Sunday, and

      (3)   The facility must provide to the City Engineer an affidavit attesting that the majority of business clientele are non-Mansfield residents; that the attendant commercial activity involves not less than two thousand (2,000) visitors in any year; and any additional information that may be required by the City Engineer to verify status as a tourist destination.

      (4)   The facility must provide adequate parking, public restrooms and drinking water.

      (5)   The facility must be located in the City of Mansfield.

   (b)   Design Standards.

      (1)   All signs shall conform to size and color standards as determined by the City Engineer.

      (2)   All signs shall contain only the facility name and such other directional information as the City deems necessary to locate the facility.

      (3)   All final sign design shall be determined by the City, and

      (4)   All signs shall be fabricated or purchased by the Applicant, and shall become the property of the City.

   (c)   Number and Location.

      (1)   A maximum of four (4) arterial streets within the City, being one each from the north, south, west and east, shall be used for said signage. No more than three (3) off-premises signs per municipal tourist attraction will be permitted on each arterial street.

      (2)   Specific locations may be requested by the applicant, but are subject to all applicable safety criteria. Final sign locations are determined in the sole discretion of the City.

      (3)   The City shall be responsible for the installation of the signage, and

      (4)   All erected signage shall be subject to further review as necssary by the City to evaluate any safety concerns which may arise after installation.

   (d)   Permits, Fees and Duration.

      (1)   To demonstrate eligibility and compliance with the regulations for signs as described in paragraph (c)(1) herein, applicants shall complete a permit application and submit the completed permit application along with seventy- five dollars ($75.00) per sign (commercial establishments) or fifty dollars ($50.00) per sign (non-profits) as an installation fee to the Engineering Department.

In addition, the City reserves the right to install gateway signage on the major arterial entrances into the City for use by tourist attractions. To demonstrate eligibility and compliance with the regulations for gateway signage, which, except for paragraph (c)(1) and (2), are the same as set forth herein, applicants shall complete a permit application and submit the completed permit application along with three hundred dollars ($300.00) per sign (commercial establishments) or two hundred dollars ($200.00) per sign (non-profits) to the Engineering Department.

      (2)   By February 1st of each year following the initial issuance of a permit, a renewal fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per sign (commercial establishments) and fifty dollars ($50.00) (non-profits), for paragraph (c)(1) signage, and three hundred dollars ($300.00) per sign (commercial establishment) or two hundred dollars ($200.00) per sign (non-profits) for gateway signage will be due in order to maintain the placement of the respective signs.

      (3)   If the facility to which the permit is issued ceases operation for a period of six consecutive months, all Municipal Tourist Attraction Directional Signs may be removed by the City without further notice of any nature.

      (4)   In the event a facility fails to pay the respective annual renewal fee(s), the City may, but is not required to, remove all Municipal Tourist Attraction Directional Signs without further notice to the permittee.

   (e)   Authority and Enforcement.

      (1)   The City Engineer or his designee is granted authority for discretionary decisions under this regulation.

      (2)   The City Engineer or his designee is charged with enforcement of the regulations set forth in this section.

         (Ord. 11-068. Passed 5-3-11.)