(a) In the interest of promoting the general health, safety and welfare of residents of Westlake, these sign regulations are herein established to provide for the placement, location and size of signs in a sensible manner.
As more specifically set forth herein, the purposes of these sign regulations are to:
(1) Promote and maintain attractive, high value residential, commercial and industrial districts by preventing the blighting influence of excessive signage.
(2) Provide reasonable, yet appropriate, conditions for identifying residential developments, institutions, businesses and industrial establishments.
(3) Control the size and location of signs so that signs will be aesthetically harmonious with their surroundings and the design of adjacent buildings.
(4) Control the number of signs in order to provide an attractive and uncluttered environment.
(5) Eliminate any conflict which would be hazardous between identification signs and traffic control signs and devices.
(6) Ensure that signs are located and designed to maintain a safe and orderly pedestrian and vehicular environment by discouraging signs which are confusing and distracting due to the number of colors, size, location, or glare of lights, thereby preventing hazards to pedestrians and motorists.
(7) Provide review procedures which enable the City to comprehensively evaluate the appropriateness of the sign to the site, building and surroundings.
(8) Provide for the control of temporary signs to avoid the unsafe conditions and blighting influence of excessive and/or deteriorating temporary signage.
(9) Prohibit all signs not expressly permitted by this Code.
In establishing these purposes, the City has determined that signs which do not comply with these regulations (type, size, location, and limitation on the number of signs) are a public nuisance and are a detriment to the general health, safety and welfare of the community. Unregulated signs are unduly distracting to motorists and pedestrians, and thereby create a traffic hazard and reduce the effectiveness of signs needed to direct the public.
Signs shall be designed, erected, altered, reconstructed, moved or maintained, in whole or in part, in accordance with the type, design, size, location, illumination and other provisions set forth in this chapter.
The construction, erection, safety and maintenance of all signs shall be also in accordance with the provisions of the Building Code (See Part Thirteen, the Building Code, Chapter 1301 et seq.). The provisions of this chapter shall not amend or in any way interfere with other codes, rules or regulations governing trafffic signs within the City.
(Ord. 2002-47. Passed 5-2-02.)