1185.12 APPLICATION FOR PERMITS; APPROVAL.
(a) Applications for permits to erect, place, paint, illuminate, alter or effectuate a change in a sign shall be submitted on forms furnished by the Municipality and shall be made either separately or included with an application for a building permit. Such application shall be dated and include the name, address and telephone number of the applicant and the name of the person erecting the sign. Written consent of the owner of the building, structure or lot on which the sign is to be erected shall be required when the owner is not the applicant. The location of the building, structure or lot on which the sign is to be erected is also required.
(b) Each application shall be accompanied by drawings to scale and photographs showing the following:
(1) The design and lay-out proposed, including the total area and dimensions of signs, the size, height, character, materials, colors and types of lines, lettering or other symbols.
(2) Photographs or drawings of the building for which the signs are proposed and photographs of surrounding buildings, signs and uses.
(3) The number and types of lamps and lens material to be used in any illuminated signs.
(4) The total area, dimensions, weight and physical composition of the proposed sign.
(5) The exact location of the signs in relation to the building and property and in relation to nearby buildings and structures.
(6) Details and specifications for construction, erection and attachment as may be required by the Building Code and this chapter.
(c) A sign permit is applicable only to the specific sign or signs for which it was granted. Once a sign permit is granted, no temporary or permanent sign shall be attached or added to the given sign. A sign permit shall become null and void if the work for which the permit was issued has not been completed within a period of six months after the date of the permit. A permit may be renewed once and no additional fee shall be collected for the renewal.
(d) All signs and drawings, required by subsection (b) hereof, unless otherwise specifically accepted by this section, shall be referred by the Building Commissioner to the Architectural Review Board for approval.
(e) The following operations shall not be considered as creating a sign and shall not require a sign permit.
(1) Replacing copy. The changing by the permit holder of the advertising copy or message on an approved theater marquee and similar approved signs which are specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.
(2) Maintenance. Painting, repainting in same color scheme, cleaning and other normal maintenance and repair of a sign or a sign structure unless a modification or structural change is made.
(f) No permit for a sign issued herein shall be deemed to constitute permission or authorization to maintain an unlawful sign nor shall any permit issued here under constitute a defense in an action to abate an unlawful sign.
(g) The Building Commissioner is hereby authorized and directed to revoke any permit issued upon failure of the holder thereof to comply and any provisions of this chapter or any regulation pertaining to signs or where the permit was issued on the basis of fraud or misstatement.
(h) The permit provisions of this section shall not apply to the signs permitted under Section 1185.09. However, the signs permitted under Section 1185.09 shall be subject to the other regulations of this chapter unless otherwise provided.
(i) Nonconforming Signs.
(1) For purposes of amortization, Nonconforming signs may be continued from the effective date of this Code for a period not to exceed:
A. ten (10) years from the effective date of this Code; or
B. the amortization period provided under a previous regulation, whichever is less.
(2) Any sign that is altered, relocated, or replaced must be brought into compliance with all provisions of this Code within fifteen (15) days.
(3) The repainting of existing Nonconforming signs shall not be considered an alteration within the meaning of this section. Refacing an existing Nonconforming sign shall not be considered an alteration as long as the refacing constitutes an exact replica of the existing sign face. The design, color scheme, translucency, graphics, and text must exactly match those existing. If any portion of the replacement face(s) is not an exact replica of the original sign face, the replacement face(s) must be brought into compliance with this Section in so far as practicable.
(4) A Nonconforming sign shall be brought into compliance if it is determined that 50% or more of the market value of the sign has been destroyed or taken down. Nonconforming signs that are damaged, but that are not required to be brought into compliance pursuant to this subsection, shall be repaired within sixty (60) days.
(Ord. 2019-09. Passed 4-15-19.)