(a) Non-Conforming Signs.
(1) All signs that do not conform to the specific standards of this chapter may be considered legally nonconforming if the sign was erected in conformance with a valid sign permit and complied with all applicable laws at the time of the sign’s installation or if the sign was part of a property that was annexed to the City.
(2) Any nonconforming sign which is relocated or replaced shall comply with all provisions of this chapter.
(3) Any nonconforming sign which has not been used for a continuous period of twelve months for any reason shall not be rebuilt, re-erected, relocated, or reused unless or until it is made to comply with the standards of this chapter.
(4) Normal maintenance shall be permitted, provided that any nonconforming sign that is destroyed by any means to an extent greater than fifty percent of the sign’s pre-catastrophe fair market value, as determined by at least two sign companies requested to provide a quote, exclusive of the foundation, shall not be reconstructed. Normal maintenance shall include painting of chipped or faded signs; replacement of faded or damaged surface panels; or repair or replacement of electrical wiring or electrical devices.
(5) Failure to bring a sign into compliance after the loss of a legal nonconforming status shall cause the sign to be considered a public nuisance.
(b) Signs Advertising a Non-Conforming Use.
(1) In the case of legal, nonconforming land uses (such as a business located in a residentially zoned district), the total sign area of all signs associated with such land use shall be no greater than that which would be allowed if the business were located in the most restrictive zoning district allowing such land use.
(2) No new signs associated with nonconforming land uses may be erected, except replacements which are the same or smaller in size than the sign being replaced. In the event that a sign associated with a nonconforming land use is moved, its new location shall conform to the setback requirements of the district in which it is located as if it were a building.
(Ord. 6717. Passed 5-1-18.)