Except for those signs allowed under the provisions of Municipal Code Section 17.08.040 and Indian Wells Municipal Code Chapter 17.12, the following signs are prohibited:
(a)
No internally lighted or backlighted signs shall be permitted. Signs
may be lit only by a steady, stationary light directed only at the
signs, except for time and temperature components or signs for public
safety. External displays consisting of unshielded light bulbs, festoons,
strings of open light bulbs, and open exposed neon or gaseous light
tubing are prohibited;
(b)
Signs having any animated, moving, blinking, flashing, or rotating
parts, including signs which have alternating messages are prohibited,
with the exception of time and temperature displays which may alternate
once every five (5) seconds;
(c)
Moveable or portable signs, including signs attached to or painted
on trailers or vehicles parked on private property for the purpose
of gaining unauthorized sign area are prohibited, except for vehicular
signs related to the lawful making of deliveries of sales of merchandise
or rendering of services from such vehicles;
(d)
Signs which make noise are prohibited;
(e)
Signs which obscure, imitate or otherwise limit the effectiveness
of official traffic control signs or devices are prohibited;
(f)
Signs which show any statement or symbol of an immoral or obscene
nature as to offend the public morals or decency are prohibited;
(g)
Signs on doors, windows or fire escapes so as to prevent free ingress
to or egress from any door, window or fire escape are prohibited.
No sign of any kind shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape,
except those signs as required by other codes or ordinances;
(h)
Except for a directional sign or real estate directional sign, any
sign installed for the purpose of advertising a project, event, person,
or subject not related to the premises upon which said sign is located
is prohibited, except any sign and signs approved in conjunction with
a special event on a temporary basis;
(i)
Signs pertaining to activities or occupants that are no longer using a property are prohibited and shall be removed from the premises or sign copy on such signs shall be obliterated, within thirty (30) days after the associated enterprise or occupant has vacated the premises. Any such sign not removed within the required period shall constitute a nuisance and shall be subject to removal under the provisions of Municipal Code Sections 17.28.010 and 17.28.020;
(j)
Signs or any portion thereof extending over a property line onto
an adjacent property or right-of-way are prohibited;
(k)
Signs interfering with the driver's or pedestrians' view of public
rights-of-way or that in any other manner impair public safety, or
interfere with the safe operation of a motor vehicle on public streets
are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, the driver's
view of approaching, merging, or intersecting traffic;
(l)
Signs located within the line of sight triangle as defined in the City Municipal Code Section 21.50.040 are prohibited;
(m)
Signs attached to or painted on a public utility pole or street light
or sign post are prohibited;
(n)
Animals or human beings, live or simulated, designed or used so as
to attract attention to the premises are prohibited.
(Ord. 311 § 1, 1992; Ord. 405 § 1, 1997; Ord. 632 § 1, 2009)
