A. Permit Required; Exceptions: Except as provided in subsection 11-37-4A of this chapter, no sign or structure shall be erected, constructed, altered, rebuilt or relocated until a permit has first been issued by the Zoning Administrator.
1. Application For Permit: The following information for a sign permit shall be supplied by an applicant upon submission of a sign permit application:
a. Name, address and telephone number of the person making the application.
b. Name, address and telephone number of the person owning the sign.
c. Name, address, telephone number and signature of the person owning the property upon which the sign is to be located.
d. A site plan to scale showing the location of lot lines, building structures, parking areas, existing and proposed signs and any other physical features.
e. Plans, location and specifications and method of construction and attachment to the buildings or placement method in the ground.
f. Landscape plans for area around signs.
g. Written consent of the owner or lessee of any site on which the sign is to be erected.
h. Any electrical permit required and issued for the sign.
i. Future maintenance plans.
j. Sign value.
k. The applicant shall certify that the application is in full compliance with this title and all other applicable provisions of this Code.
2. Processing Of And Action On Permit:
a. Within fifteen (15) working days of receiving an application for a sign permit, the Zoning Administrator shall review it for completeness. If the application is complete, it shall then be processed. If the Zoning Administrator finds that it is incomplete, the Zoning Administrator shall, within such fifteen (15) working day period, send to the applicant a notice of the specific ways in which the application is deficient, with appropriate references to the applicable sections of this title and/or this Code.
b. Upon receipt of a complete application, the Zoning Administrator shall review and comment upon the application and shall either:
(1) Issue the sign permit, if the sign(s) that is the subject of the application conforms in every respect with the requirements of this title and this Code.
(2) 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 title and this Code.
c. In case of a rejection, the building official shall specify in the rejection the section or sections of this title and/or this Code with which the sign(s) is inconsistent.
d. If the work authorized under a permit has not been initiated within sixty (60) days after the date of issuance, the permit shall be null and void.
3. Permit Fees: Fees for the review and processing of sign permit applications shall be imposed in accordance with section 3-1-2 of this Code.
B. Inspections: All signs shall be subject to inspection by the Zoning Administrator and/or building official.
C. Removal Of Signs:
1. The Zoning Administrator and/or building official shall order the removal of any illegal nonconforming sign erected or maintained in violation of this title. Notice in writing shall be given by the City to the owner of such sign, or of the building, structure or property on which such sign is located, to remove the sign or to bring it into compliance with the provisions of this chapter within fifteen (15) days from the date of said notice.
2. Upon failure to remove the sign or to comply with this notice, the City may remove the sign. Any costs of removal incurred by the City shall be assessed to the owner of the property on which such sign is located and may be collected in the manner of ordinary debt or in the manner of taxes, and all costs shall be assessed against the property.
3. The Zoning Administrator and/or building official may order the immediate removal of any sign without notice which is in violation of the following:
a. Signs located within the public right-of-way.
b. Temporary signs that have exceeded the time limits allowed in this chapter.
c. The condition of the sign is such as to present an immediate threat to the safety of the public. (Prior Code § 20-37-7)