(a) General Permit Procedures. The following procedures shall govern the application for, and issuance of, all Sign Permits under this Ordinance:
(1) If a Sign type requires a Sign Permit, as specified in Section 1331.06
the Owner of the subject property shall obtain a Sign Permit through the City prior to the placement, construction, erection or modification of a Sign.
(2) No Sign Permit may be obtained unless a fully completed Sign Permit application is submitted to the City and, following review of the same, the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee determines that the Sign and applicable Signage Plan comply with the requirements of this Article.
(3) Applications. All applications for Sign Permits of any kind and for approval of a Signage Plan shall be submitted to the City Planning Department on an application form published by the Planning Department.
(4) Fees. Each application for a Sign Permit or for approval of a Signage Plan shall be accompanied by the applicable fees, which shall be established by City Council from time to time by resolution and set forth in the City fee schedule.
(5) Action on Permit. Within thirty (30) business days of the submission of a complete application for a Sign Permit, the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee shall either:
A. Issue the Sign Permit if the Sign(s) that is the subject of the application conforms in every respect with the requirements of this Article; or
B. Reject the Sign Permit if the Sign(s) that is the subject of the application fails in any way to conform with the requirements of this Article. In case of a rejection, the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee shall specify in the rejection the section or sections of the Ordinance or applicable plan with which the Sign(s) is inconsistent. If the application is rejected because it is incomplete, the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee shall set forth the specific deficiencies in the rejection.
(6) Within thirty (30) days of receipt of a rejection by the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee of an application for a Sign Permit the applicant may file an Appeal of said rejection to the Board of Zoning Appeals per the procedures set forth in this Zoning Ordinance.
(b) Permits to Construct or Modify Signs. Signs requiring a Sign Permit, as specified in Section 1331.06
, shall be erected, installed, or created only in accordance with a duly issued and valid Sign Construction Permit from the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee. Such permits shall be issued only in accordance with the following requirements and procedures:
(1) Permit for New Sign or for Sign Modification. An application for construction, creation, or installation of a new Sign or for modification of an existing Sign shall be accompanied by detailed drawings to show the dimensions, design, Structure, and location of each particular Sign. One application and permit may include multiple Signs on the same Lot; and
(2) Inspections. Upon expiration of the time permitted for construction, creation, or installation of a Sign in an issued Sign Construction Permit, the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee shall cause an inspection of the Sign for compliance with the application for such permit and supporting materials with this Ordinance and all other City Ordinances. If the construction is not substantially complete at the time of inspection, the permit shall remain lapsed. If the construction is substantially complete but not in full compliance with the application for such permit and supporting materials, this Ordinance, and all other City Ordinances, the City Engineer/Planning Director or designee shall give the Owner or applicant notice of the deficiencies and extend the Sign Construction Permit an additional thirty (30) days from the date of inspection for the deficiencies to be corrected. If the deficiencies are not corrected by such date, the permit shall lapse. If a Sign Construction Permit has lapsed, no work shall be performed upon the Sign unless and until a new Sign Construction Permit is obtained.
(c) Time of Compliance, Nonconforming Signs and Signs Without Permits. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Owner of any Lot or other premises on which exists a Sign for which there is no current and valid Sign Permit, shall be obligated to remove such Sign or, in the case of a nonconforming Sign, bring it into conformity with the requirements of this Ordinance within one (1) year of the Effective Date of this Ordinance.
(Ord. 2021-07. Passed 7-21-21.)