[Adopted as Ch. 12.24 of the 1997 Code[1]]
No person, firm or corporation shall erect or maintain any sign,
signboard or rigid canopy over any street, sidewalk, alley or other
public way in the City without having first obtained a permit therefor
as herein provided. Permits for signs, canopies or signboards shall
be issued by the Building Official, upon payment of the fee provided,
and shall designate the location of the proposed structure.
[Amended 1997 by Ord. No. 1604]
The annual fee for such permits shall be in an amount to be
set by City ordinance from time to time for signs, signboards or rigid
canopies which extend less than five feet over a street, sidewalk,
alley or other public place, and are less than 15 square feet in area,
and for such signs, signboards or rigid canopies as extend more than
five feet over such public place or are 15 or more square feet in
total area.
[Amended 1997 by Ord. No. 1604]
Temporary permits may be issued for maintenance of a temporary
sign, signboard or rigid canopies for a short time and not to exceed
three weeks, upon payment of a fee in an amount to be set by City
ordinance from time to time for each week or fraction thereof that
such sign is to be maintained.
Each person, firm or corporation maintaining such sign, signboard
or rigid canopies, temporarily or permanently, shall file with the
Clerk a bond or indemnity policy in the sum of $50,000, conditioned
to indemnify the City for any loss or damage or liability that may
result from the construction or maintenance of such sign or canopy;
provided that if the City has secured a blanket policy to protect
against such risks, then no such bond shall be required.
All signs, signboards and canopies extending over any public
sidewalk, street, alley or other public place must be securely fastened
and constructed so that there will be no danger of the same being
dislodged by ordinary winds or falling from other cause.
The period for which permits required by this Part 2 shall be
valid shall be the same as the general license year.
The lowest part of any such canopy, sign or of any nonrigid
awning, or any support thereof which extends over any public way shall
be at least eight feet above the level of the walk or public way over
which it extends; but no such sign shall be maintained over any public
way used by vehicles if any part of its support or of the sign is
less than 15 feet above the level of such public way.
It shall be the duty of the Building Official to inspect or
cause to be inspected every sign, canopy or awning which extends over
any sidewalk, street, alley or other public way. If any such sign,
signboard or canopy is found to be insecurely fastened he shall report
this fact to the owner of the sign or to the owner or occupant of
the premises on which it is fastened. If the sign or canopy is not
made secure within 10 days after such notice, it may be torn down
on order of the City Council at the owner's expense.
