(a) The purpose of this section is to provide uniform sign standards which promote a positive city image reflecting order, harmony and pride and thereby strengthening the economic stability of the city’s business areas. Objectives to be pursued in applying specific standards are as follows:
(1) To identify individual business uses without creating confusion, unsightliness or visual obscurity of adjacent business;
(2) To assure that all signs in terms of size, scale, height and location are properly related to the size of the building;
(3) To assure that all signs, in terms of color, form, material and design are compatible with other signs on Main Street; and
(4) To assure that all signs, sign supports and sign bases shall be so constructed to provide for design compatibility.
(b) (1) All business locations shall be identified by a street address sign. The sign shall have numbers three to four inches high and be clearly visible from the street.
(2) Signs identifying the business may display a name and/or the primary services provided or products sold on the premises.
(3) All signs shall be secured to the front of the building. They shall be mounted flat against the building with the smallest dimension projecting at right angles to the front of the building.
(4) The maximum size of the sign identifying the business shall be one square foot for each lineal foot of building front.
(5) Signs painted on the brick surface will be permitted only on buildings with a brick front and then only in the indented space provided by the builder. The signs painted in these spaces do not fall under the size provision of subsection
(b)(4) above and may fill the complete indented sign space.
(6) All signs shall be kept in good repair and repainted as needed. If a sign becomes unsightly and the owner refuses to repair or repaint within 60 days of notice by the zone administrator, the city will contract to have the sign repaired and/or repainted and bill the owner for the contract cost.
(7) Except as herein provided, no person or business firm, acting either as principal or agent, shall alter the copy face or lettering of any sign, or shall erect any sign or sign structure until a sign permit for the work has been issued by the city.
(8) Signs on the sides of buildings shall be restricted to 20 square feet. These signs shall be painted on a separate piece of material and mounted flat against the building.
(9) Hanging signs secured to the underside of awnings and which identify the business appurtenant to the awning will be permitted consistent with this subsection. No part of such a sign may be lower than to allow a seven-foot clearance from the lowest part of the sign to the sidewalk below. The sign dimensions shall not exceed six feet in length or eight inches in depth and, in any event, must not extend closer than to within one foot of the exterior dimensions of the awning.
(c) The following signs are hereby prohibited:
(1) Signs set on permanent posts or supports between the front of the building and the street except in those instances where the building front is set back from the street at least 30 feet and all parts of the sign are at least 15 feet from the street right-of-way;
(2) Signs with flashing, blinking or traveling lights.
All government signs shall be exempt from this division. |
(d) A-frame and other portable signs shall be permitted but only upon compliance with the following requirements:
(1) Permits.
Any person desiring to erect an A-frame or other portable sign shall apply for a permit at the office of the city secretary. There shall be no cost associated with the permit itself, but, as a condition of the issuance of the permit, the applicant must submit proof of a certificate of public liability insurance covering the premises on which the sign is to be situated and the policy must have benefits of not less than $100,000.00 for each occurrence. The applicant must resubmit a new policy annually and failing to do so, the applicant shall lose any rights to a permitted usage and the permit shall terminate and the usage be declared to be in violation of this section. An additional condition of the permit shall be following restrictions:
(A) Only one such sign shall be permitted for each business location and no more than one shall be permitted for each 50 feet of street frontage;
(B) No sign shall exceed 4 feet in height from sidewalk elevation and no more than 2-1/2 feet in width; signs must be a minimum 3 feet in height for visibility;
(C) No portion of the sign shall be located more than 4 feet from the line of the building nearest to the street;
(D) Signs shall be displayed only during daylight hours;
(E) All such signs shall be positioned on the front lines of the business advertised;
(F) All such signs will be painted either black, white, or warm earth tones in color. No electric lights or neon colors shall be permitted on these signs.
(2) Any portable or A-frame sign is disallowed in that portion of zone C-1 situated between Broadway and the BNSF crossing of East Main Street (U.S. 380). In addition to portable and A-frame signs, any sign encroaching the state’s right-of-way that was placed, erected, constructed or so located on or after July 23, 2000, shall be removed at the owners expense.
(3) Additionally, the city hereby adopts, by reference, the Texas Transportation Code, sections
391 and
392, as amended, as they apply to state right-of-way; and the Texas Administrative Code, title 43, part
1, chapter 22, subchapter B, rule 22.16, as amended.
(e) (1) All signs, described in subsection
(c) above, shall become nonconforming on the effective date of this article.
(2) The sign owner or his or her agent will be notified in person or by certified mail and given 60 days to bring the offending sign into compliance.
(3) If no action is taken, the city will remove the sign and supports and inform the owner why they were removed, and where they may be reclaimed, as well as the information contained in the remainder of this section.
(4) Removed signs and supports shall be stored for a period not to exceed 14 days beginning the first day of the notice. A storage charge of $5.00 per day will be levied beginning the fourth day of that 14-day period. Before the expiration of the storage period, the owner of the sign and supports may reclaim his or her property upon payment of any storage charges and cost of removal, if the removal was done by an independent contractor. If the sign and support have not been reclaimed by the expiration of the storage period, they may be disposed of in whatever manner the administrator shall choose. If, in his or her opinion, the sign and supports are not capable of being sold, they may be discarded, but if sold, the proceeds therefrom shall be first applied to the storage charge and removal expense if any, and the remaining balance shall be paid to the past owner of the sign if reasonably possible, or if not, then to the general fund of the city.
(2002 Code, sec. 152.082; Ordinance 574 adopted 11/7/06; Ordinance O-08-05, sec. 1, adopted 9/6/05)