Nothing in this chapter shall relieve the owner or user of a legal non-conforming sign or owner of the property on which the legal non-conforming sign is located from the provisions of this Code regarding safety, maintenance and repair of signs contained in this Code provided, however, that any repainting, cleaning and other normal maintenance or repair of the sign or sign structure shall not modify the sign structure in any way which makes it more non-conforming or the sign may lose its legal nonconforming status.
(1952 Code § 43-9-2)