(A) Signs and activities subject to Florida Building Code. Certain signs and activities are subject to the Florida Building Code. The city's Building Department has the authority to determine which signs and activities are subject to the Florida Building Code. The construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance of all signs shall conform to the provisions established by the Florida Building Code. This includes mechanical and electrical components, as well as structural components subject to wind load standards. The sign code compliance permit is a zoning approval that is separate from, and shall be obtained prior to any required building permit.
(B) Nonconforming uses. A nonconforming use occupying a structure, as provided in, Article 7 (Nonconformities) of Chapter 155, Zoning Code, shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter which relate to the zoning district in which the use is ordinarily allowed.
(C) Free-standing signs. A free-standing sign shall not be constructed or erected closer than four feet to any right-of-way and no closer than ten feet to any adjacent property line.
(1) Notwithstanding the four foot setback as required above, the City Commission may enter into a revocable license agreement in a form approved by the City Attorney with a property owner allowing an existing sign to remain within the above dimensions and providing:
(a) The subject of the revocable license agreement is an existing free-standing sign which complied with the setback requirements when constructed;
(b) The City Engineer's determination that the sign does not nor will not be a public safety hazard;
(c) The agreement contains a provision that:
1. The sign shall be removed upon notice by the city, county or state at property owner's expense;
2. The property owner indemnifies and hold the city, its official and employees harmless;
3. The agreement may not be assigned.
(2) Free-standing signs that are pole mounted must retro-fit the structure with a pole cover that is at least 50% the width of the sign face when requesting a permit for a face change. Freestanding signs must have a base at least 50% the width of the sign face; all nonconforming on-premise signs are subject to the amortization schedule listed in § 156.17(D)(3).
(3) Free-standing signs shall not encroach into sight visibility triangles. When the subject property abuts the intersection of two or more public rights-of-way, a sight visibility triangle shall be provided. The sight visibility triangle shall provide unobstructed cross-visibility for vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic at a level between three feet and six feet measured from grade level.
(4) Landscaping elements shall be provided around the base of all free-standing signs. None of the following requirements shall create any non-conformities on the site. Landscape requirements are as follows:
(a) Free-standing signs shall provide landscaping around the base of the sign. The landscaping shall consist of native vegetation and an irrigation plan. The dimensions of the landscaping shall extend at least three feet in all directions from the base of the sign. The landscaping's location shall not obscure the address of the building listed on the sign, as required in subsection (5) below.
(b) Free-standing signs are not to be located in required tree planting areas.
(c) If these requirements shall make the required parking area smaller, the landscaping area shall be reduced as necessary to incorporate the parking requirements.
(5) All free-standing signs must incorporate the address number of the building. Size of the numbers must be a minimum of six inches and maximum ten inches in overall height.
(D) Projecting signs. A sign projecting over a public right-of-way shall not extend closer than 18 inches to the right-of-way and shall be a minimum of nine feet above the grade of the walk immediately below the sign. A projecting sign shall be a minimum of 15 feet above an alley.
(E) Substitution. Any sign containing non-commercial copy shall be deemed an on-premises sign, and any sign authorized in this chapter is allowed to contain non-commercial copy in lieu of any other copy, in accordance with § 156.22(B).
('58 Code, § 50.305) (Ord. 81-13, passed 12-2-80; Am. Ord. 83-24, passed 1-25-83; Am. Ord. 89-42, passed 2-21-89; Am. Ord. 98-42, passed 4-14-98; Am. Ord. 2001-06, passed 10-10-00; Am. Ord. 2002-21, passed 1-8-02; Am. Ord. 2004-19, passed 1-27-04; Am. Ord. 2011-29, passed 3-8-11; Am. Ord. 2013-31, passed 12-11-12; Am. Ord. 2017-29, passed 2-28-17) Penalty, see § 10.99
Cross-reference:
Billboards and advertising signs, see § 155.065
Professional nameplates, see § 155.066