Signs use private land and the sight lines created by the public right-of-way to inform and persuade the general public by publishing a message. This article provides standards for the erection and maintenance in accordance with these standards. The general objectives of these standards are to promote health, safety, welfare, convenience and enjoyment of the public, and in part to achieve the following:
(1) 
Safety.
To promote the safety of persons and property by providing that signs:
(A) 
Do not create a hazard due to collapse, fire, collision, decay or abandonment;
(B) 
Do not obstruct firefighting or police surveillance;
(C) 
Do not create traffic hazards by confusing or distracting motorists, or by impairing the driver’s ability to see pedestrians, obstacles, or other vehicles, or to read traffic signs.
(2) 
Communications efficiency.
To promote the efficient transfer of information in sign messages by providing that:
(A) 
Those signs which provide messages and information most needed and sought by the public are given priorities.
(B) 
Businesses and services may identify themselves.
(C) 
Customers and persons may locate a business or service.
(D) 
No person or group is arbitrarily denied the use of the sight lines from the public right-of-way for communication purpose.
(E) 
Persons exposed to signs are not overwhelmed by the number of messages presented, and are able to exercise freedom of choice to observe or ignore aid messages, according to the observer’s purpose.
(3) 
Landscape quality and preservation.
To protect the public welfare and to enhance the appearance and economic value of the landscape, by providing that signs:
(A) 
Do not interfere with scenic views;
(B) 
Do not create a nuisance to persons using the public right-of-way;
(C) 
Do not create a nuisance to occupancy of adjacent and contiguous property by their brightness, size, height or movement; and
(D) 
Are not detrimental to land or property values.
(Ordinance 1002, sec. 14-1-1, adopted 3/15/11)
The provisions of this article are adopted pursuant to Texas Local Government Code chapter 216. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, no legally erected sign shall be required to be relocated, reconstructed or removed except in compliance with the Texas Local Government Code.
(Ordinance 1002, sec. 14-1-2, adopted 3/15/11)
This article shall not be interpreted nor enforced in a manner to violate First Amendment rights and [if] any provision of this article or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this article.
(Ordinance 1002, sec. 14-1-3, adopted 3/15/11)
In accordance with the Texas Local Government Code, the provisions of this article shall apply to all signs in the city limits and to the areas in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), including but not limited to the following roadways:
(1) 
IH-45.
(2) 
FM 813.
(3) 
FM 878.
(4) 
Business 45.
(Ordinance 1002, sec. 14-1-4, adopted 3/15/11)
(a) 
A sign may not be altered, installed, erected, constructed, placed, painted, created, enlarged, moved or converted within the city or its specified extraterritorial jurisdiction except in compliance with the standards, procedures, exemptions, and other requirements of this code.
(b) 
The provisions of this article may be enforced against, without limitation, a sign owner, a sign user, an operator or lessee of a sign, or the property owner on which the sign is located. Such persons shall be referred to herein as “responsible persons.”
(Ordinance 1002, sec. 14-1-5, adopted 3/15/11)
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Building
means a structure which has a roof supported by columns or walls for the shelter, support, or enclosure of persons, animals or chattel.
Dilapidated.
Any surface element, background, panels, or support of any sign that has finished materials that are missing, broken, bent, cracked, decayed, dented, harmful, hazardous, illegible, leaning, splintered, ripped, torn, twisted, or unsightly.
Effective area, attached sign
means the sum of the areas of the minimum imaginary rectangles enclosing each word attached to any particular facade. Effective area shall also be referred to as size. (See illustrations, division 9 of this article.)
Effective area, monument sign
means the area enclosed by drawing a rectangle of horizontal and vertical lines which fully contain all extremities of the sign location above the ground including the sign base. The measurement is to be calculated from a viewpoint which gives the largest rectangle of that kind. The effective area shall also be referred to as size. (See illustrations, division 9 of this article.)
Effective area, other sign.
Signs that do not meet the definition of attached signs or monument signs shall be referred to as other signs. The effective area of other signs shall be calculated by drawing a rectangle of horizontal and vertical lines which fully contain all extremities of the sign exclusive of its supports. Effective area shall also be referred to as size.
Electronic billboard
means an off-premises sign for the purpose of display of commercial or noncommercial digital messages, which includes any of its support, frame, or other appurtenances.
Facade
means any separate face of a building, including parapet walls and omitted wall line, or any part of a building which encloses or covers usable space. Where separate faces are oriented in the same direction, or in the directions within forty-five degrees of one another, they are to be considered as a part of a single facade.
Graffiti
means any rude inscription, design, motto, or pictograph, scratched, drawn, painted, or in any way marked on the surface of any wall, fence, rock, escarpment, or any other exposed surface of any public or private property.
Historic district
means the downtown area within the corporate limits of the city.
Model home
means a single-family dwelling structure that is open for inspection by the general public and is not used as a dwelling.
Premises
means a lot or unplatted tract, or a combination of contiguous lots or unplatted tracts if the lot or tract, or combination is under single ownership and is reflected in the plat records of the city.
Sign
means any form of publicity or advertising which directs attention to an individual, business, commodity, service, activity, or product, by means of words, lettering, parts of letters, figures, numerals, phrases, sentences, emblems, devices, trade names, or trademarks, or other pictorial matters designed to convey such information and displayed by means of print, bills, posters, panels, or other devices on an open framework, or attached or otherwise applied to stakes, posts, poles, buildings, or other structures or supports.
Sign, abandoned sign
means an on-premises sign, attached or detached, advertising a business that has closed or ceased operation for a period of 30 calendar days, or where the operations permit has been revoked or expired.
Sign, attached
means any sign attached to, applied on, or supported by any part of a building (such as a wall, roof, window, canopy, awning, arcade, or marquee) which encloses or covers usable space.
Sign, awning
means a permanent sign that is directly applied, attached or painted onto an awning, which is a retractable or non-retractable projection, shelter or structure of rigid or non-rigid canvas, metal, wood, or other similar approved material approved [sic].
Sign, banner
means a sign which is not permanently affixed.
Sign, billboard
means an off-premises sign for the purpose of display of commercial messages or noncommercial messages. The term includes any of its support, frame, or other appurtenances.
Sign, detached
means any sign connected to the ground which is not an attached sign, inclusive of signs on movable objects, except signs on vehicles which are moving or are parked only temporarily, incidental to their principal use for transportation.
Sign, monument
means a freestanding sign set on a ground monument base. Monument signs shall include pedestal signs.
Sign, movement control
means a sign which directs vehicular or pedestrian movement within or on the premises such as, but not limited to, entrance, exit, or overhead clearance, and which does not advertise the name of the establishment.
Sign, off-premises
means a sign that identifies or advertises a business, person, activity, goods, products, entertainment or services at a location other than where the sign is located.
Sign, on-premises
means any sign which identifies or advertises a business, person, activity, goods, products, entertainment or services primarily sold, offered, or conducted, for sale on the premises where the sign is located, installed, maintained, or to which it is affixed when such premises are used for business purposes.
Sign, political
means any type of sign which refers only to the issues or candidates involved in a political election.
Sign, portable
means any sign designed or intended to be relocated from time to time, whether or not it is permanently attached to a structure, or is located on the ground.
Sign, projecting
means a sign attached and projecting out from a building face or wall, generally at a right angle to the building a maximum of 18 inches.
Sign, protective
means any sign which is commonly associated with safeguarding the permitted uses of the occupancy, including, but not limited to, “bad dog,” “no trespassing,” and “no solicitors.”
Sign, pylon
means a freestanding sign permanently affixed to the ground by supports, but not having the appearance of a solid base.
Sign, subdivision entry
means a sign mounted to a screening wall or engraved into a masonry block which identifies a development, either residential or nonresidential, and generally refers to the platted name of the subdivision.
Sign, support
means any pole, post, strut, cable, or other structural fixture or framework necessary to hold and secure a sign, providing that said fixture or framework is not imprinted with any picture, symbol or word using characters in excess of one (1) inch in height, nor is internally or decoratively illuminated.
Sign, temporary
means any sign that is not intended for permanent use and that is typically utilized for advertisement of seasonal specials or special events. Temporary signs include, but are not limited to, banners, inflatable devices, and wind flags, etc.
Sign, vehicular
means any sign on or in a moving vehicle or on any vehicle parked temporarily, incidental to its principal use for transportation. This definition shall not include signs or lettering on company vehicles that advertises only the company name, address, and phone number. This definition exempts magnetic signs on the sides and rears of cars.
Sign, wall
means a sign erected against an exterior wall, erected parallel to a wall or painted directly onto a wall.
Sign, window
means a sign either attached on a window (by painting or other adhesive) or hanging within the window that generically advertises a commodity, service, activity, or product by means of words, lettering [sic].
Zoning district, business
means any zoning district designated by the zoning ordinance of the city as C-1, C-2, [or] I, and any PD district with the previous listed zoning prefix is also included in this list, unless specifically excluded by its provisions.
Zoning district, non-business
means any zoning district not designated as a business district in accordance with the above definition.
(Ordinance 1002, sec. 14-2-1, adopted 3/15/11)