(a) The Department has authority to remove any Sign if it violates any provision of this Article. To the extent consistent with applicable federal and state law, the Department may remove any Sign posted in violation of the applicable provisions of federal or state law where the Sign is posted on a Lamp Post or Utility Pole on, immediately abutting, or immediately adjacent to property which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Government or the State of California and is located within the City. The Department is authorized to take all necessary steps, including entering into contracts with the United States Government or the State of California, to remove Signs posted on a Lamp Post or Utility Pole on, immediately abutting, or immediately adjacent to property which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Government or the State of California and is located within the City. If the City incurs any expense in removing a Sign because it was posted in violation of this Article, the Person or Persons responsible for such posting as set forth in Section 184.65 of this Article may be billed as provided in Subsection (b) of this Section. If such bill is not paid as required by Subsection (b), the Person or Persons responsible for such posting are subject to payment of a civil penalty as provided in Section 184.63 of this Article.
(b) Whenever an officer or employee of the City and County of San Francisco removes any Sign posted in violation of this Article, the Director may send a bill to the Person responsible for such posting for the cost of removal or for the repair of property damaged by such posting. Such bill shall include all costs, both direct and indirect, involved in removing Signs, in repairing property, and in administering the billing procedure. The amount to be billed for placing objects into the surface of trees is set forth in the San Francisco Urban Forestry Ordinance, which is codified as Part II, Chapter X, Article 16, Section 800 et seq. of the San Francisco Municipal Code (Public Works). The bill shall describe the basis for the amount billed by indicating the number of signs posted illegally, the time necessary for removal, the hourly cost of removal, and other relevant information, including, but not limited to, the general locations from which the signs were removed and the dates and times on which the work was performed. The bill shall also specify a date by which the bill is to be paid, which date shall be not fewer than 10 business days after the bill is mailed. The person billed must pay the bill by the date specified. All payments received shall be deposited with the Treasurer to the credit of the "Sign Removal Fund" designated in Section 184.63 of this Article.
(Added by Ord. 116-99, File No. 982076, App. 5/14/99; Ord. 222-06, File No. 060853, App. 8/11/2006)