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Pima County Overview
Pima County, AZ Code of Ordinances
PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA CODE
Publisher's Introduction
Title 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Title 2 ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL
Title 3 REVENUE AND FINANCE
Title 4 INDIGENT HEALTH CARE
Title 5 BUSINESS TAXES, LICENSES AND REGULATIONS
Title 6 ANIMALS
Title 7 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Title 8 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Title 9 PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND WELFARE
Title 10 TRAFFIC AND HIGHWAYS
Title 11 PIMA COUNTY PROCUREMENT CODE
Title 12 (RESERVED)
Title 13 PUBLIC SERVICES
Title 14 RENEWABLE ENERGY INCENTIVE DISTRICT (REID)
Title 15 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION
Title 16 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT
Title 17 AIR QUALITY CONTROL
Title 18 ZONING
Chapter 18.01 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 18.03 GENERAL DEFINITIONS
Chapter 18.05 ZONES, MAPS AND BOUNDARIES
Chapter 18.07 GENERAL REGULATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS
Chapter 18.09 GENERAL RESIDENTIAL AND RURAL ZONING PROVISIONS
Chapter 18.11 TH TRAILER HOMESITE ZONE
Chapter 18.12 IR INSTITUTIONAL RESERVE ZONE
Chapter 18.13 RH RURAL HOMESTEAD ZONE [1]
Chapter 18.14 GR-1 RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONE
Chapter 18.15 ML MOUNT LEMMON ZONE
Chapter 18.17 SR SUBURBAN RANCH ZONE*
Chapter 18.18 SR-2 SUBURBAN RANCH ESTATE ZONE
Chapter 18.19 SH SUBURBAN HOMESTEAD ZONE
Chapter 18.21 CR-1 SINGLE RESIDENCE ZONE
Chapter 18.23 CR-2 SINGLE RESIDENCE ZONE
Chapter 18.25 CR-3 SINGLE RESIDENCE ZONE
Chapter 18.27 CR-4 MIXED-DWELLING TYPE ZONE
Chapter 18.29 CR-5 MULTIPLE RESIDENCE ZONE
Chapter 18.31 TR TRANSITIONAL ZONE
Chapter 18.33 CMH-1 COUNTY MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOME - 1 ZONE
Chapter 18.35 CMH-2 COUNTY MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOME - 2 ZONE
Chapter 18.37 MU MULTIPLE USE ZONE
Chapter 18.39 GENERAL COMMERCIAL STANDARDS
Chapter 18.40 MR MAJOR RESORT ZONE
Chapter 18.41 RVC RURAL VILLAGE CENTER ZONE
Chapter 18.43 CB-1 LOCAL BUSINESS ZONE
Chapter 18.45 CB-2 GENERAL BUSINESS ZONE
Chapter 18.47 INDUSTRIAL ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS
Chapter 18.49 CPI CAMPUS PARK INDUSTRIAL ZONE
Chapter 18.51 CI-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL/WAREHOUSING ZONE
Chapter 18.53 CI-2 GENERAL INDUSTRIAL ZONE
Chapter 18.55 CI-3 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL ZONE*
Chapter 18.57 AIRPORT ENVIRONS AND FACILITIES*
Chapter 18.58 HELIPORTS AND HELISTOPS
Chapter 18.59 GC GOLF COURSE ZONE
Chapter 18.61 HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY ZONE*
Chapter 18.63 HISTORIC ZONE
Chapter 18.65 (RESERVED)
Chapter 18.67 BUFFER OVERLAY ZONE
Chapter 18.68 INFILL OVERLAY ZONE
Chapter 18.69 SUBDIVISION STANDARDS
Chapter 18.70 MINOR LANDS DIVISION
Chapter 18.71 DEVELOPMENT PLAN STANDARDS*
Chapter 18.72 NATIVE PLANT PRESERVATION
Chapter 18.73 LANDSCAPING, BUFFERING AND SCREENING STANDARDS*
Chapter 18.75 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING STANDARDS
Chapter 18.77 ROADWAY FRONTAGE STANDARDS
Chapter 18.78 GATEWAY OVERLAY ZONE
Chapter 18.79 SIGN STANDARDS*
Chapter 18.81 GRADING STANDARDS
Chapter 18.83 ADDRESS STANDARDS
Chapter 18.85 (RESERVED)
Chapter 18.87 (RESERVED)
Chapter 18.89 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN [2]
Chapter 18.90 SPECIFIC PLANS
Chapter 18.91 REZONING PROCEDURES
Chapter 18.92 TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS
Chapter 18.93 BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT VARIANCES, TEMPORARY USE PERMITS AND INTERPRETATIONS*
Chapter 18.95 COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT*
Chapter 18.97 CONDITIONAL USE PROCEDURES
Chapter 18.99 REVIEW COMMITTEES
Chapter 18.101 ADMINISTRATORS
Title 19 ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT FEE
Title 20 THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
Title 21 PUBLIC LANDS AND FACILITIES
STATUTORY REFERENCES FOR ARIZONA COUNTIES
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
ORDINANCE LIST AND DISPOSITION TABLE
Chapter 18.79
SIGN STANDARDS*
18.79.010   Purpose.
18.79.020   General.
18.79.030   Definitions and sign types.
18.79.040   Prohibited signs.
18.79.050   Exempt signs.
18.79.060   Nonconforming signs.
18.79.070   General regulations.
18.79.080   Regulations by sign type.
18.79.090   Regulations by temporary sign type.
18.79.100   Dark sky protection option and master sign program.
18.79.010   Purpose.
   A.   It is the purpose of this chapter to authorize the use of signs that:
      1.   Promote traffic and pedestrian safety and minimize risk of personal injury and property damage from unregulated and improper sign placement and construction;
      2.   Encourage legibility of sign information along street frontages, reduce visual clutter, and encourage the clearest possible visual perception of existing uses and existing signs;
      3.   Provide equitable opportunities for free speech, identification and essential communication, enable wayfinding, retain businesses and promote economic development;
      4.   Protect astronomical observation by protecting dark skies and minimizing light intrusion onto adjacent property;
      5.   Encourage an aesthetic appearance compatible with the surrounding human and natural environment along street frontages, improving the quality of the visual appearance of the community, and the clear visibility of the natural environment; and,
      6.   Promote signs that are appropriate to the type of activity to which they pertain, are well-designed, are of appropriate scale, and are appropriately integrated into the built and natural environment.
   B.   Whenever a conflict arises in the enforcement of this chapter or more than one interpretation is possible, the purposes stated in Section 18.79.010(A) shall serve as guidelines in resolving the conflict or interpretation.
(Ord. 2020-41, § 5 (part), 2020)
18.79.020   General.
   A.   A sign shall comply with the Pima County building codes (Title 15).
   B.   A permit is required for all signs unless otherwise stated.
   C.   No sign shall be installed, placed, or maintained within unincorporated Pima County except in conformance with this chapter or as allowed by a state or federal law preemption of this chapter.
   D.   If provisions of this chapter are in conflict with any other provision of the code, the more restrictive requirement shall apply.
   E.   No sign shall cause a safety hazard for pedestrians or vehicles.
   F.   No content restrictions.
      1.   Any sign allowed under this chapter may contain, in lieu of any other copy, any otherwise lawful message that complies with applicable dimension, lighting, design, spacing, and approval requirements of this chapter.
      2.   This chapter is intended to regulate signs in a manner that does not favor commercial speech over non-commercial speech and does not regulate non-commercial speech by message content.
      3.   Any regulation that distinguishes between on-site and off-site signs applies only to commercial messages, and allows any non-commercial message.
(Ord. 2020-41, § 5 (part), 2020)
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