A.
Application of permit requirement. Except
as otherwise provided in this Code, it shall be unlawful for any person
to erect, construct, enlarge, move or convert any sign in the City,
or cause the same to be done, without first obtaining a sign permit
for each such sign from the Administrator as required by this Code.
This section shall not be construed to require any permit for:
(2)
The repainting, cleaning and other normal
maintenance or repair of a sign or sign structure for which a permit
has previously been issued, so long as the sign or sign structure
is not modified in any way; or
(3)
Signs which have permits and which conform
with the requirements of this Code on the date of its adoption unless
and until the sign is altered or relocated, at which time a permit
is required.
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
B.
Duration of permit. Every sign permit issued
by the Administrator shall become null and void if work installation
is not commenced within 120 days from the date of such permit. If
work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned for 120 days
any time after the work is commenced, a new permit shall be first
obtained to do so and the fee will be 1/2 the amount required for
a new permit for such work provided that no changes have been made
in the original plans. Such permit may not be unreasonably withheld,
providing that proper application and payment of permit fees is complied
with.
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
A.
Sign contractors to be registered. No person
shall perform any work or service for any person or for any government
entity for compensation, in or in connection with the erection, construction,
enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, improvement, maintenance,
conversion or manufacture of any sign in the City or any work or service
in connection with causing any such work to be done unless such person
shall first have registered as a sign contractor with the City Clerk
and paid the registration fees provided for by the City, or shall
be represented by a subcontractor registered herein as a contractor.
[Ord. No. 1972-12]
B.
Sign contractor registration fee. Before
any person, firm, or corporation shall engage in the business of sign
contracting in the City or continue in said business, such person,
firm or corporation shall be required to pay a registration fee as
set forth in the Schedule of Fees. The City Clerk shall keep a suitable
record of all such registrations of sign contractors in the City.
[Ord. No. 2018-89]
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
As a condition to the registration
of a sign contractor as required herein, all persons engaged in the
business of painting, installing or maintaining signs which involves,
in whole or part, the erection, alteration, relocation, maintenance
of a sign or other sign work shall file with the City Clerk a continuing
bond in the penal sum of $5,000, executed by the applicant and a corporate
surety authorized to do business in the State of Illinois, which shall
indemnify and hold harmless the City, its officers, agents, and employees,
from any and all claims of negligence resulting from erection, alteration,
relocation, or maintenance work.
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
Every applicant for such registration
shall, before such registration, file with the City a satisfactory
certificate of insurance against any form of liability to a minimum
of $25,000 for property damage and $300,000 for personal injury, or
shall be responsible through an agent or subcontractor covered by
insurance in said amounts. The insurance shall be maintained in full
force and effect during the term of the registration and said insurance
policy or certificate shall provide that the City be notified of any
cancellation of the insurance 10 days prior to the date of cancellation.
[Ord. No. 1979-12]
Federal or state licenses as applicable.
Any sign company seeking to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair,
move, improve, maintain, convert or manufacture any sign shall demonstrate
and register with the City a statement that they have all of the necessary
licenses from all other governmental agencies applicable, or shall
be represented by a duly licensed agent or subcontractor having such
licenses.
[Ord. No. 1987-12]
No person shall erect, construct
or maintain any sign upon any property or building without the consent
of the owner or person entitled to possession of the property or building,
if any, or their authorized representatives.
Application for a permit shall be
made to the Administrator upon a form provided by the Administrator
and shall be accompanied by such information as may be required to
assure compliance with all appropriate laws and regulations of the
City including:
A.
Name and address of owner of the sign;
B.
Name and address of owner or the person
in possession of the premises where the sign is located or to be located;
C.
Clear and legible drawings with description
definitely showing location of the sign which is the subject of the
permit and all other existing signs whose construction requires permits,
when such signs are on the same premises;
D.
Drawings showing the dimensions, construction supports, sizes, electrical wiring and components, materials of the sign and method of attachment and character of structural members to which attachment is to be made. The design, quality, materials and loading shall conform to the BOCA National Building Code in effect and Chapter 10 of the Bloomington City Code. When required by the Administrator, engineering data shall be supplied on plans submitted certified by a duly registered architect or structural engineer.
[Ord. No. 1998-95]
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
The Administrator shall issue a permit
for the erection, alteration, or relocation of a sign within the City
when an application therefor has been properly made and the sign described
therein complies with all appropriate laws and regulations of the
City. The Administrator may, in writing, suspend or revoke a permit
issued under provisions of this article whenever the permit is issued
by mistake or on the basis of a misstatement of fact or fraud.
[Ord. No. 1979-12]
No permit for a sign issued hereunder
shall be deemed to constitute permission or authorization to maintain
an unlawful sign nor shall any permit issued hereunder constitute
a defense in an action to abate all unlawful signs.
A.
Application for permits shall be filed
with the Sign Code Administrator, together with a permit fee which
shall be based on the reasonable cost of the sign and supporting structure
which includes cost of material and labor in accordance with the City's
Schedule of Fees. If the Administrator determines that the applicant's
estimate of cost is unreasonable, the Administrator may estimate the
cost for purposes of establishing the fee. Permit for Neon outline
lighting or skeleton lighting will be based on estimated value of
job.
B.
If any sign is hereafter erected, placed,
installed or otherwise established on any property prior to obtaining
a permit as required by this section, the fees specified in City's
Schedule of Fees shall be doubled. Payment of such fee shall not relieve
any person from complying with other provisions of the Advertising
Code or from penalties prescribed therein.
[Ord. No. 2018-89]
C.
All portable temporary signs not exempted
in the Code shall be charged a permit fee as set forth in the Schedule
of Fees for each permitted time on a location. The fee for such signs
may be waived by the Administrator when placement on a lot is for
48 hours or less.
[Ord. No. 2018-89]
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
An appeal may be taken to the Sign
Code Board of Review from the Administrator's denial or revocation
of a sign permit.
A.
Inspections. All sign work requiring a
permit shall be subject to inspection by the Administrator.
[Ord. No. 1988-33]
B.
Sign maintenance. Every sign in the City,
including but not limited to those signs for which permits or for
which no permits or permit fees are required, shall be maintained
in good structural condition at all times. All signs, including those
exempted, shall be kept neatly painted, including all metal parts
and supports. The Administrator may inspect signs at reasonable intervals
to determine whether signs are properly maintained.
C.
Signs declared unlawful. The Administrator
may declare any sign unlawful if it violates this Code or any other
law or if it endangers public safety by reason of inadequate maintenance,
dilapidation or abandonment. Any such declaration shall state in writing
the reasons of the Administrator for stating that the sign is unlawful.
[Ord. No. 1984-53]
D.
It shall be unlawful to own, keep, display
or maintain a sign which is declared to be unlawful pursuant to the
provisions of § 3-311C of this Code. The Administrator may
declare any such sign to be unlawful and such declaration shall state
in writing the reason or reasons why such sign and the keeping, owning,
maintenance, construction, and display or operation thereof, is unlawful
under the terms of this Code.
[Ord. No. 1979-12]
