A permanent sign erected within the city prior to the effective date of this article, which does not conform to the regulations of this article, shall be deemed to be a nonconforming sign which shall be allowed to continue, with normal maintenance and repair only; provided, however, a nonconforming sign may not be enlarged upon, expanded, or extended, except as otherwise provided herein. It is not the intent of this section to encourage the survival of nonconforming signs; to the contrary, nonconforming signs are discouraged and contrary to the intent and purpose of this article.
(1) 
A nonconforming sign shall not be enlarged, expanded, extended, replaced, or rebuilt in case of obsolescence or total destruction by any means or cause.
(2) 
In the event a nonconforming sign is damaged by any means or cause and the repair or reconstruction cost, whichever is applicable, equals or exceeds 50 percent of the fair market value of the sign at the time of the damage, it must be removed or brought into compliance with this article.
(3) 
In case any nonconforming sign is enlarged, expanded, extended, replaced, or rebuilt in violation of any of the terms of this article, the city manager shall give written notice by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner, lessee, or person responsible for said sign, to remove the sign or bring the sign into compliance with this article. If such order in not complied with within ten days, the city manager shall revoke the sign permit.
(4) 
All signs shall be placed by the owner or the party in control of the property or with the permission of such owner or party in control, and the owner or party in control shall be responsible for the prompt removal of any sign in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(5) 
Signs identified and described in section 4.07.062, subsections (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (10), (11), (13), (15), and (16), shall be removed within 30 days after the effective date of this section.
(6) 
Nonconforming temporary business signs and portable signs shall be removed or made to conform to the provisions of this article within 30 days after the effective date of this section.
(7) 
Additions and enlargements to a nonconforming monument sign in a shopping center or integrated business development are permitted provided such addition or enlargement:
(A) 
Does not include replacement of the existing sign structure;
(B) 
Does not increase the height or width of the sign; and
(C) 
Does not cause the total area of all signs in the shopping center or integrated business development to exceed the total allowable square foot area.
(Ordinance 09-668, sec. 1, adopted 3/12/09; 2007 Code, sec. 33-76)
The city manager or their designee shall inspect periodically, or whenever deemed necessary, each sign or other advertising structure regulated by this article for the purposes of ascertaining whether the sign structure is unsafe, in need of repair, not in conformance with the permit application, or otherwise in violation of the provisions of this article. The current property owner of a premises on which a sign is located and/or the current business owner of a sign that is not properly maintained in accordance with the provisions of this article shall be responsible for remedying any deficiencies identified by such inspections and shall be subject to any penalties arising therefrom.
(Ordinance 09-668, sec. 1, adopted 3/12/09; 2007 Code, sec. 33-77; Ordinance 26-1010 adopted 4/9/2026)
Any person wishing to appeal a decision of the city manager on the grounds that the decision misconstrues or wrongly interprets this article may, within 30 days after such decision, appeal the same to the city council, pursuant to the rules and regulations adopted from time to time by the city council; provided, however, the appealing party shall give notice of the appeal in writing to the city secretary within said 30 days following the decision appealed from, and provided further, the appealing party shall comply with the city manager’s decision pending appeal, unless the city manager shall direct otherwise.
(Ordinance 09-668, sec. 1, adopted 3/12/09; 2007 Code, sec. 33-78)
Any sign that is not properly maintained in accordance with this article shall be deemed a nuisance and subject to the abatement remedies provided by section 1.01.009(h) of this code. Any person violating any provisions of this article, or failing to comply with any requirement of this article, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable as provided in section 1.01.009 of this code. Each day during or upon which such person shall violate or continue violation of any provision of this article or noncompliance with any requirement of this article shall constitute a distinct and separate offense.
(Ordinance 09-668, sec. 1, adopted 3/12/09; 2007 Code, sec. 33-79; Ordinance 26-1010 adopted 4/9/2026)