§ 3.90. Signs, billboards, and other advertising structures.
3.90.01. General description. These conditions are established as a reasonable and impartial method of regulating advertising and business sign structures and display surface area permitted, in order to insure safe construction, to insure light, air, and open space, to reduce hazards, to prevent the accumulation of trash, and to protect property values of the entire community.
The regulations for signs, billboards, and other advertising structures are indicated below. The interpretation of nomenclature in this section shall be as defined in article 2, "Definitions."
3.90.02. General regulations. In any zone the following general regulations shall apply:
A.
No sign shall be erected or maintained at any location where by reason of its position, wording, illumination, size, shape, or color it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with, an authorized traffic control sign, signal, or device.
B.
No sign shall contain or make use of any word, phrase, symbol, shape, form, or character in such manner as to interfere with, mislead, or confuse traffic.
C.
No sign having flashing intermittent or animated illumination or moving parts shall be permitted except electronic message centers as regulated in subsection Q. below.
D.
No illuminated sign shall be permitted within three hundred (300) feet of property zoned RA, Low Density Residential, RAE, Exclusive Residential, PR, Planned Residential, RB, General Residential, A, Agricultural, and E, Estates, unless such sign is so designed that it does not shine or reflect its own illumination rays onto such property.
E.
No ground sign shall be erected to exceed a height of fifty (50) feet except where located within five hundred (500) feet of the right-of-way of an interstate or state primary highway in which case the height limit may be extended so the bottom of the sign face shall not be more than twenty (20) feet above the surface of the interstate or state primary highway.
F.
No sign shall be placed in any public right-of-way except publicly owned signs and those signs approved by the county highway department.
G.
No portable sign shall be permitted in the county.
H.
The following signs may be erected without securing a building permit:
1.
Signs not exceeding nine (9) square feet in area in a residential zone, and twenty-four (24) square feet in area in all other zones, pertaining only to the prospective sale or lease of the premises upon which displayed.
2.
Signs not exceeding six (6) square feet in area displaying the name only of the property or premises upon which displayed or of the owner or lessee thereof.
3.
Signs not over twenty-four (24) square feet in area advertising the sale of a subdivision and located therein or adjacent thereto.
4.
Directional or informational signs, not over twenty-four (24) square feet in area, of a public nature, erected and maintained by an official or civic body.
5.
Highway and traffic signs.
6.
Temporary sign advertising a political candidate. Such sign shall not be over thirty-two (32) square feet in size, shall not be displayed for more than thirty (30) days and shall be removed within five (5) days of the election.
I.
Abandoned signs shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises upon which the sign is located within sixty (60) days of written notification by the building official.
J.
The total area of a sign is the surface devoted to the conveying of the message exclusive of the structure to support it properly, trim and framing device and any appurtenances required by the building code. A sign designed to be viewed from two (2) different directions shall be considered as one (1) sign provided that the two (2) sign faces shall not be more than forty-two (42) inches apart if parallel nor form an angle of more than ninety (90) degrees if angular.
K.
On site traffic directional signs three (3) square feet or less in size located on the property shall not be considered a ground sign under the terms of this resolution.
L.
No signs shall have red, green, yellow, amber or blue incandescent lights.
M.
No sign or billboard advertising an adult entertainment establishment as defined by the zoning ordinance for the county shall be larger than five (5) square feet in area.
N.
On any sign over thirty-two (32) square feet in surface area, or over twenty (20) feet high measured from the upper edge of the sign, a structural diagram of the sign and its validation that is stamped by a licensed Tennessee architect or engineer must be submitted. Relevant information on the dimensions of the foundation and its reinforcement should be noted, as well as structural details of the steel work in the sign. Two (2) copies must be submitted, a file copy for the department of code administration and a contractor's copy, to be kept on site during all phases of construction.
O.
If construction is begun on any sign before a valid permit has been secured the applicable permit fee shall be doubled.
P.
Any park-type bench or other form of seating device displaying any form of advertising and located outside of the building shall be considered a portable sign and shall be illegal in the county.
Q.
Electronic message centers may be permitted as part of a wall or monument sign in CA, CB, CH, PC, SC, I, LI, BP and EC zone districts in accordance with the following regulations:
1.
EMCs legally existing on April 10, 2009, shall be allowed to continue operation subject to meeting the operational standards as required by subsection (m) herein.
2.
No EMC shall be erected or used by a business unless any changeable letter reader board is first removed from the parcel.
3.
An EMC shall be included in the total signage permitted on the parcel.
4.
An EMC shall be permitted as a wall sign, or an integrated part of the total sign surface of a free standing business sign. For purposes of this section, integrated into the total sign surface of a free standing business sign shall mean an EMC cabinet contained within or contiguous to the smallest, simple polygon enclosing all of the non-electronic advertising content of a sign.
5.
An EMC permitted as part of a ground or monument sign shall have a minimum matrix area of twenty (20) square feet and a maximum size of one-third ( 1/3 >) of the total signage permitted or one hundred (100) square feet, whichever is less.
6.
An EMC permitted as a wall sign shall not exceed one hundred (100) square feet maximum.
7.
Each display on an EMC shall hold constant for a minimum of sixty (60) seconds.
8.
An EMC shall not display light of such intensity or brightness to cause glare. An EMC must be equipped with an automatic dimmer device and controlled by a light detector. It is the responsibility of the sign owner to demonstrate compliance with brightness/intensity and dimming settings. Brightness, also known as intensity, shall be measured in candelas per square meter, which is also referred to as nits, and shall not exceed the following standards:
Daytime maximum brightness 3,000 nits Nighttime maximum brightness 750 nits Maximum brightness at the
property line0.2 footcandles Maximum bulb wattage for
incandescent light40 watts For purposes of EMC regulations, the following definitions shall apply:
• Candela means a unit which expresses the luminous intensity of a light source.
• Dimmer means a device which changes the brightness of a display or which creates the capacity of increasing or decreasing the overall brightness/intensity of a display.
• Footcandle means a unit of illuminance (light falling on a surface). One (1) lumen falling on one (1) square foot equals one (1) footcandle.
• Light detector, light sensor means an electronic component used to detect the amount or level of ambient light surrounding a display.
• Nit means one (1) candela per square meter.
9.
The images and messages displayed must be static. The images and messages displayed must be complete in themselves, without continuation in content to the next image or message or to any other sign.
10.
The transition from one display to another must be instantaneous without any special effects.
11.
Every line of text in an EMC shall exceed the following standards:
Designated Speed Limit On Frontage Road
(in MPH)Minimum Text Size
(in Inches)25 to 34 7 35 to 44 9 45 to 54 12 55 and above 15 If there is insufficient room for text of this size in the area allowed under clause 5 above, then no text is allowed.
12.
All EMCs legally existing on June 12, 2013 [the effective date of the ordinance from which this subsection derives], must comply with the operational standards listed in subsections 7., 8., 9., 10., and 11. above. A legally existing EMC that cannot meet the minimum text size requirement in subsection 11. above must use the largest size possible for one (1) line of text to fit in the available space.
13.
An EMC used as a changeable price sign shall be integrated into a business ground sign or monument sign or be placed on a canopy or wall in accordance with these regulations. For the purposes of these regulations a changeable price sign is one that shows a product or service, such as fuel or hotel/motel room rates as an unchanging element of the sign and only the price is changeable.
3.90.03. Advertising signs.
A.
Advertising signs shall be placed on a unipole structure and shall not be double decked either one face above the other or side by side on the same structure.
B.
The total sign area per face shall not exceed seven hundred seventy-five (775) square feet on expressways, major arteries and minor arteries, or three hundred (300) square feet on major collectors and minor collectors as designated by the currently adopted Major Road Plan for Knoxville and Knox County, Tennessee.
C.
No advertising sign shall be located within two thousand (2,000) feet of any road or highway in the county which is a designated part of the state scenic highway system or scenic parkway system.
D.
Spacing requirements.
1.
Major and minor arteries. No off-premise outdoor advertising sign structure shall be established within seven hundred fifty (750) feet of any other off-premise advertising sign structure. The minimum distance between sign structures shall be measured along a straight line and shall be made between the two (2) nearest points of the sign structures. Official and on-premise business signs as well as any other sign which does not constitute an off-premise advertising sign structure as defined herein, shall not be counted nor shall measurements be made from them for the purpose of determining compliance with these spacing requirements. No advertising sign permit shall be issued closer than seven hundred fifty (750) feet from a valid outstanding advertising sign permit or structure.
2.
Expressways. No off-premise outdoor advertising sign structure shall be established within one thousand (1,000) feet of any other off-premise advertising sign structure on the same side of the same expressway. The minimum distance between sign structures shall be measured along the nearest edge of the pavement at points directly opposite the center of the signs and located on the same side of the expressway. Official and on-premise business signs, as well as any other sign which does not constitute an off-premise advertising sign structure as defined herein, shall not be counted nor shall measurements be made from them for the purpose of determining compliance with these spacing requirements.
3.
All advertising sign structures, including billboards, shall be erected to be placed in conformity with the front, side, and rear yard requirements of the zone in which located. This shall be interpreted to mean that the face of the sign as well as the structure base shall comply with the minimum setback.
4.
No advertising sign structure shall be located closer than one hundred (100) feet to a residence as measured along the street right-of-way.
3.90.04. Business signs.
A.
All business ground signs shall be set back ten (10) feet from a street right-of-way line or fifteen (15) feet from the edge of pavement, whichever is greater, unless such sign is at least ten (10) feet above the ground and vision under the sign is only incidentally obstructed by supporting members. However, in no case shall any business sign be permitted to extend over the right-of-way.
B.
All business ground signs shall be spaced from each other a minimum of one hundred (100) feet except that each lot of record may have one (1) ground sign if permitted by zone.
C.
All business ground signs shall be set back five (5) feet from all side and rear property lines.
D.
Business signs for home occupations shall not exceed two (2) square feet nor be located closer than twenty (20) feet to the street right-of-way line.
E.
Temporary business signs, if serviced by electrical power, shall conform to the latest adopted revision of the National Electric Code.
F.
All business ground signs shall contain the street number of the business.
G.
Business signs shall not project from a building a greater distance than ten (10) feet and shall maintain a clear height of ten (10) feet. Where such signs project over public property they shall not extend closer than twenty (20) inches to the curb line.
H.
No business ground sign shall exceed a maximum of four hundred fifty (450) square feet in sign face area.
3.90.05. Temporary signs.
A.
Temporary signs shall not be erected or otherwise fixed to any pole, tree, stone, fence, building, structure or any object within the right-of-way of any street.
B.
No temporary sign shall be erected at the intersection of any street in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal, or device, or located in any required parking space.
C.
Each business may erect or post a temporary sign on two (2) occasions during each calendar year, provided that each such occurrence does not exceed thirty (30) days in duration. Any sign posted for a longer period must meet the requirements for a permanent sign.
D.
No temporary sign shall exceed one hundred fifty (150) square feet in area.
E.
A temporary sign shall not be suspended across public streets or public places without approval of county commission.
F.
A portable sign shall not be considered or utilized as a temporary sign.
G.
No person shall install or maintain, cause to be installed or maintained or permit to be installed or maintained any portable sign in violation of this resolution. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be issued a citation and upon conviction be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense, with each day of violation constituting a separate offense.
H.
Any portable sign that continues to be maintained in violation of the provisions of this resolution after having been previously cited for a violation, shall be subject to removal from the premises if not brought into compliance within twenty-four (24) hours of notification to the owner or lessee, of any such sign or their representative.
3.90.06. A, Agricultural Zones. In any A, Agricultural Zone, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
There shall be permitted not more than two (2) nonilluminated signs with each sign not exceeding twelve (12) square feet or a total of twenty-four (24) square feet in area or eight (8) feet in height advertising the sale of farm products produced on the premises.
B.
Announcement of church, school, public buildings where permitted. Bulletin boards or identification signs, not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area, or eight (8) feet in height shall be permitted; such bulletin board or identification sign shall indicate nothing other than name and/or address of the premises, and schedule of services or other information relevant to the activities on the premises. Such sign shall not be located closer to any property line than one-half (½) the required setbacks and may only have indirect illumination.
C.
For uses permitted on review as listed in subsection 5.22.03, one (1) business sign, not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area or eight (8) feet in height shall be permitted as a use-on-review. Such sign shall be located not closer to any property line than one-half (½) the required setback and may only have indirect illumination. In approving such a sign as a use-on-review, the metropolitan planning commission shall consider the placement of the sign in relation to surrounding properties and roadways and may impose further restrictions on size, height, appearance and setbacks as may be required to comply with the standards for approval for uses-on-review stated in subsection 6.50.06, "Approval or denial."
D.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.07. Residential zones. In RA, Low Density Residential, RB, General Residential, and PR, Planned Residential Zones, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
For houses, attached houses, duplexes, multi-dwelling structures and developments: Nameplates, not to exceed two (2) square feet in area or six (6) feet in height shall be permitted for each dwelling unit; such nameplate shall indicate nothing other than name and/or address of the premises, and the name of occupants, premises announcements of boarders or roomers or customary home occupation.
B.
For residential subdivisions, structures and developments: Signs not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area or eight (8) feet in height, shall be permitted per entrance with an aggregate of two hundred (200) square feet; such sign shall indicate nothing other than name and/or address of the premises, and the name of the management. Such sign shall be set back ten (10) feet from all property lines and may have indirect illumination.
C.
Announcement of church, school, or public buildings, bulletin boards or identification signs, not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area, or eight (8) feet in height shall be permitted; such bulletin board or identification sign shall indicate nothing other than name and/or address of the premises, and schedule of services or other information relevant to the operation of the premises. Such sign shall be located not closer than one-half (½) the required setbacks and may only have indirect illumination.
D.
Only one (1) sign per street frontage shall be permitted.
E.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.08. Office and transition zones. In OA, Office Park Zone, OB, Office, Medical and Related Services Zone, OC, Civic and Institutional Zone, and T, Transition Zone the following regulations shall apply:
A.
For permitted residential zone uses, the regulation of signs shall be the same as in the residential regulations above.
B.
There shall be permitted for public recreation uses, community facilities, hospitals and clinics, bulletin boards or identification signs not exceeding fifty (50) square feet in area.
C.
For OB, Office Park, OC, Civic and Institutional, and T, Transition Zones, business signs shall be permitted as follows:
1.
One (1) sign not exceeding one (1) square foot of surface for each one (1) linear foot of lot adjoining a public street, but not exceeding one hundred (100) square feet. Such sign shall be set back from all property lines a minimum of ten (10) feet.
2.
One (1) sign not exceeding one (1) square foot of surface per one (1) linear foot of face of building. Such sign shall be mounted on the building and may not project above the parapet wall.
D.
Each OA, Office Park Zone development shall be limited to one (1) accessory business sign for each separate street frontage. Such sign shall not exceed fifty (50) square feet per sign face. The maximum height shall be six (6) feet. All signs shall set back from all property lines a minimum distance of ten (10) feet.
E.
The maximum height for a business sign in the OC, Civic and Institutional Zone, shall be six (6) feet.
F.
For other permitted principal uses in the OA, Office Park Zone, business signs shall be permitted as follows:
1.
One (1) sign not exceeding one (1) square foot of surface per one (1) linear foot of face of building. Such sign shall be mounted on the building and may not project above the parapet wall.
G.
Illuminated signs shall be permitted.
H.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.09. Commercial zones. In commercial and shopping center zones, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Within all commercial zones business signs shall be limited to:
1.
Locations on buildings on the parcel;
2.
Ground signs;
3.
Any other specific zone requirements; and
4.
For the purposes of this section, canopies, gasoline pumps, and drive through order boards are considered part of the building.
B.
There shall be permitted for public recreation uses, community facilities, hospitals, and clinics, bulletin boards or identification signs not exceeding fifty (50) square feet in area.
C.
Billboards and other outdoor advertising sign structures are permitted in CA, General Business, CB, Business and Manufacturing, and CH, Highway Commercial Zones.
D.
Total business signage within any CA, General Business, CB, Business and Manufacturing, or CH, Highway Commercial Zones is not to exceed three (3) square feet of surface area for each one (1) linear foot of lot fronting on a public street but in no case shall the surface area be limited to less than fifty (50) square feet.
E.
PC, Planned Commercial Zone business ground signs shall be limited to one (1) per each separate street frontage in excess of one hundred twenty-five (125) feet.
F.
Small accessory business signs are permitted for each business within the PC, Planned Commercial Zone. These shall be a face sign attached to the building and may not project above the parapet wall. The total maximum display surface area for small accessory business signs shall be one (1) square foot per one (1) linear foot of building frontage the business has, but in no case shall the sign surface be limited to less than fifty (50) square feet.
G.
All illuminated signs within the PC, Planned Commercial Zone shall have no exposed bulbs. Luminous background signs shall not exceed two hundred (200) foot lamberts and indirect illuminated signs shall not exceed seventy-five (75) foot candles of surface illumination.
H.
SC, Shopping Center Zone business signs shall be designed as an integral part of the shopping center development and shall be harmonious with the other design features of the center. The aggregate area of such signs shall not exceed one (1) square foot per ten (10) square feet of usable floor area. The signage shall be approved by MPC staff as part of the development plan use-on-review approval process.
I.
Signs in the CR, Rural Commercial Zone:
1.
One (1) illuminated monument sign is permitted per site.
2.
The total square footage of the monument sign face may not exceed sixty (60) square feet per sign face and the height may not exceed six (6) feet as measured from the natural or finished grade, whichever is lower.
3.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
4.
Signs shall be set back a minimum of fifteen (15) feet from all property lines.
5.
One (1) indirectly illuminated wall sign shall be permitted for each tenant of a building. Such sign may have one (1) square foot of area for each lineal foot of building frontage the tenant has, not to exceed forty (40) square feet in area. Such sign shall be attached to the front face of the building and may not project above the parapet wall.
J.
Signs in the CN, Neighborhood Commercial Zone:
1.
One (1) indirectly illuminated monument sign is permitted per site. The total square footage of the monument sign face may not exceed fifty (50) square feet and the height may not exceed five (5) feet as measured from the natural or finished grade, whichever is lower.
2.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.
Signs shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from all property lines.
4.
One (1) nonilluminated wall sign shall be permitted for each tenant of a building. Such sign may have one (1) square foot of area for each linear foot of building frontage, not to exceed forty (40) square feet in area. Such sign shall be attached to the front face of the building and may not project above the parapet wall.
3.90.10. BP, Business and Technology Park Zone. In a BP Business and Technology Park Zone, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Each development shall be limited to one (1) free standing sign of not more than one hundred (100) square feet and not exceeding six (6) feet in height. For double faced signs a maximum of fifty (50) square feet will be permitted per side.
B.
One (1) face sign will be permitted per building at one (1) square foot of sign area for each foot of building road frontage up to a maximum one hundred (100) square feet per building. Sign shall not project above parapet wall.
C.
Additional signs may be permitted if approved by the planning commission through the use-on-review procedure provided that scale drawings of the signs indicate they will not detract from the attractive, park-like character of the zone; and that the development plan clearly shows that because of unusual topography, building locations and relationships of developments with multiple structures, additional signs are essential to inform and direct the public.
D.
No sign may have flashing, intermittent or animated illumination.
E.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.11. Industrial zones.
A.
In I, Industrial Zones, the following regulations shall apply:
1.
Within all I, Industrial Zones business signs shall be limited to one (1) ground sign per street frontage of the parcel and signs affixed to the building on the premises as well as any specific district requirements.
2.
In I, Industrial Zones business signs shall be permitted not exceeding two (2) square feet per one (1) linear foot of street frontage.
3.
Billboards and other outdoor advertising sign structures are permitted in I, Industrial Zones.
B.
In LI, Light Industrial Zones, signs with the following characteristics shall be permitted:
1.
Within all LI, Light Industrial Zones business signs shall be limited to one (1) ground sign per street frontage of the parcel and signs affixed to the building on the premises.
2.
Ground signs not having over sixty (60) square feet in area for each sign face.
3.
Each site shall be permitted one (1) square foot of sign per one (1) linear foot of street frontage, except that the total sign area shall not exceed two hundred (200) square feet for any sign face.
4.
Wall signs projecting not more than twelve (12) inches from the surface to which it is attached and not projecting above the parapet wall of the building.
5.
Ground signs shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.
6.
Flashing or intermittent illumination is prohibited.
7.
Ground signs not located closer than one-half (½) the required setback from any property line.
8.
Billboards and other outdoor advertising sign structures are prohibited.
3.90.12. EC, Employment Center Zones.
A.
In EC, Employment Center Zones, the following regulations shall apply:
1.
Each development shall be limited to one (1) free-standing sign of not more than one hundred (100) square feet of sign area and not exceeding six (6) feet in height. For doubled-faced signs, a maximum of fifty (50) square feet will be permitted per side. Each sign must be ground mounted with a fully enclosed base.
2.
One (1) face sign will be permitted at one (1) square foot of sign area for each foot of building frontage, up to maximum of one hundred (100) square feet per building. The sign shall not extend above the parapet wall. Multi-tenant buildings may be approved for more than one (1) sign, provided that all other requirements of this section are met.
3.
Business park or subdivision signs may be permitted for the purpose of vehicle and pedestrian circulation or building identification. Each business park or subdivision shall be limited to one (1) sign, not to exceed one (1) square foot of sign area for every linear foot of road frontage within the business park or subdivision, up to a maximum of two hundred (200) square feet.
4.
Additional signs may be permitted if approved by the planning commission through the use-on-review procedure, provided that scaled drawings of the signs indicate they will not detract from the setting created by the EC, Employment Center Zone development. The development plan must clearly show that because of unusual topography, building locations and relationships of development with multiple structures, additional signs are essential to inform and direct the public.
5.
Free-standing building and business park and subdivision signs shall be located no closer than ten (10) feet from the street right-of-way line, or fifteen (15) feet from the edge of pavement, whichever is greater.
6.
No sign may have flashing, intermittent or animated illumination. All signs may be illuminated by indirect illumination.
7.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.13. F, Floodway Zones. In the F, Floodway Zone the following regulations shall apply:
A.
There shall be permitted for public parks, playgrounds, and other outdoor recreational uses: Signs not exceeding nine (9) square feet in area.
B.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.14. HZ, Historical Overlay Zones. In an HZ, Historical Overlay Zone, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Information signs may be displayed in connection with such use, but the total area of each sign shall not exceed nine (9) square feet, and signs may have indirect lighting.
B.
Business signs shall be governed by the base zoning placed on the site.
C.
Billboards and other advertising signs are prohibited.
3.90.15. TO, Technology Overlay Zones. All signs within the technology corridor along the Pellissippi Parkway right-of-way shall adhere to the following standards:
A.
Each development shall be limited to one (1) free standing sign of not more than one hundred (100) square feet and not exceeding six (6) feet in height. For double faced signs a maximum of fifty (50) square feet will be permitted per side.
B.
One (1) face sign will be permitted per building at one (1) square foot of sign area for each foot of building road frontage up to a maximum of one hundred (100) square feet per building. Sign shall not project above parapet wall.
C.
Additional signs may be permitted if approved by the Tennessee Technology Corridor Development Authority through the procedure described in subsection 5.90.11, "Revisions of development plans," provided that scale drawings of the signs indicate that they will not detract from the attractive, park-like character of the corridor; and that the development plan clearly shows that because of unusual topography, building locations and relationships of developments with multiple structures, additional signs are essential to inform and direct the public.
D.
No sign may have flashing, intermittent or animated illumination.
E.
All the signing within the TO, Technology Overlay Zone shall be regulated by the sign design guidelines set forth in the Tennessee Technology Corridor Comprehensive Development Plan and Design Guidelines.
F.
Billboards and other outdoor advertising sign structures are prohibited.
3.90.16. Nonconforming outdoor advertising signs and structures.
A.
An owner of any advertising sign, business sign, or electronic advertising sign legally existing at the time of the adoption of this amendment shall have the right to continue such non-conforming use.
B.
An owner of any electronic advertising sign legally existing at the time of the adoption of this amendment shall have until July 1, 2013, to register with the county codes administration for the purpose of ensuring to the owner the right to continue such non-conforming use.
C.
After the effective date of the ordinance from which this subsection derives, no person shall construct any electronic advertising sign or convert any existing advertising sign to an electronic advertising sign.
D.
After July 1, 2013, any non-conforming electronic advertising sign not registered shall be considered an illegal sign. The codes administrator shall notify or make reasonable effort to notify the owner of the sign of such condition. If after thirty (30) days of such notification the sign has not been removed by the owner, the county, its officials, or its employees shall have the authority to enter on the private property on which the sign is located to remove such sign and/or institute appropriate action to have the sign removed. The county is further authorized to place a lien, in the amount of the removal cost, against the property upon which the illegal non-conforming sign is located.
3.90.17. Permits—General.
A.
The county building inspector shall supervise and have primary responsibility for the effective administration of these sign regulations, and relative to signs and outdoor advertising structures within the county, issue sign permit applications and sign permits for all signs located on private property within the county.
B.
Before a permit may be issued, complete plans and specifications showing the construction, methods of support and the materials used shall be submitted for approval to the county building inspector. In addition to any other required information, such plans and specifications shall include the following:
1.
A detailed site plan of the property drawn to scale, showing all existing and proposed freestanding signs, buildings, parking areas, and driveway entrances to the site, together with all roadways and informational signs located on the right-of-way of said roadways which are located immediately adjacent to the proposed site.
2.
The total number of square feet of existing and proposed signage on the parcel where the proposed sign is to be erected.
3.
The location of all existing advertising signs located within the minimum space requirements for distances between structures and any proposed advertising sign on this site.
4.
The name and, where applicable, the consent statement of the property owner and/or lessee of the proposed site.
5.
State department of transportation sign permit where applicable.
C.
Whenever possible, applications are to be processed within ten (10) working days of receipt of all required documents in the county building inspector's office.
D.
The county building inspector shall keep and maintain accurate records of all sign permits issued by the county, which records may serve as the basis for a comprehensive inventory of the signs within the county.
E.
Permit shall become invalid six (6) months from date of issuance if sign structure is not completed unless otherwise extended by the board of zoning appeals; and such permit shall not be transferable.
3.90.18. Permit fees. Prior to issuing any permit for construction of signs, as provided herein, the applicant shall pay to the county a sign construction permit fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for any permanent sign with a construction value of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or more, plus an additional sum of three dollars ($3.00) per each one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) of construction value or any fraction thereof. For a value of less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) the fee shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00). All fees are assessed per structure and not per parcel or lot. Sign construction permit fees shall be assessed and collected prior to the approval of any application for construction or major renovation. Any work permitted as major renovation can be conducted on an existing structure only. The original structure cannot be moved. Any work requiring substantial alterations to the original structure or movement of the original supporting member(s) must be permitted as new construction. Minor renovations, including changing of existing removable parts of signs that are designed to be changed, repainting of any existing display matter or replacing existing lettering or decoration are deemed to be maintenance work for which no fees are charged and no permit is required.
(Ord. No. O-99-8-101, § 1, 9-27-99; Ord. O-99-9-101, § 1, 10-25-99; Ord. No. O-00-2-102, § 1(Exh. A), 3-27-00; Ord. No. O-00-4-102, § 1(Exh. A), 8-28-00; Ord. No. O-03-2-101, § 1(Exh. A), 3-24-03; Ord. No. O-03-2-102, § 1(Exh. A), 3-24-03; Ord. No. O-03-2-103, § 1(Exh. A), 3-24-03; Ord. No. O-03-4-103, § 1(Exh. A), 5-27-03; Ord. No. O-04-1-102, § 1(Exh. A), 2-23-04; Ord. No. O-06-7-101, § 1(Exh. A), 8-28-06; Ord. No. O-12-9-102, § 1(Exh. A), 10-22-12; Ord. No. O-13-1-103, § 1(Exh. A), 2-25-13; Ord. No. O-13-4-102, § 1(Exh. A), 5-28-13)