Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall erect, construct, reconstruct, move, install or replace a sign until a sign permit has been issued by the city according to this division. No permits are required for the maintenance of a sign or for a change of copy on painted, printed or changeable copy signs.
(1966 Code, § 25½-30)
(a) 
Application for a sign permit shall be made to the building official upon a form provided by such official and shall include the following information:
(1) 
Name and address of the owner of the sign.
(2) 
Street address or location of the property on which the sign is to be located, along with the name and address of the property owner.
(3) 
The type of sign or sign structure, as defined in this chapter.
(4) 
A site plan demonstrating compliance with the Texas Department of Transportation spacing requirements in chapters 391 and 394 of the Texas Transportation Code and title 43, chapter 21 of the Texas Administrative Code, as each may be amended, and showing the proposed location of the sign along with the locations and square footage areas of all existing signs on the same premises or drawings of buildings showing the area where the sign shall be installed.
(5) 
Specifications and scale drawings showing the materials, design, dimensions, structural supports and electrical components of the proposed sign.
(b) 
If, in the opinion of the building official, the size, shape or design of a proposed sign renders it structurally unsound, he shall disapprove the application for a permit.
(c) 
The building official may suspend or revoke an issued permit for any false statement or misrepresentation of fact in the application. All signs must be erected in accordance with approved plans, without changes, unless authorized by the building official.
(d) 
Permits shall be processed as expeditiously as possible, and shall be deemed denied if no action is taken by the building official within 30 days of filing.
(1966 Code, § 25½-31; Ordinance 2008-25, § 1, adopted 4/14/2008; Ordinance 2024-36 adopted 4/8/2024)
(a) 
All applicants for a permit under this chapter must tender a required fee of $50.00.
(b) 
A sign permit shall expire after 120 days after date of issuance if it is not used. A permit may be canceled by an applicant at any time but the permit fee may be retained by the city.
(1966 Code, § 25½-32; Ordinance 2002-57, § 10, adopted 9/11/2002)
(a) 
Any person installing, altering or relocating a sign for which a permit has been issued shall notify the building official upon completion of the work. The building official may require a final inspection, including an electrical inspection and inspection of footings on freestanding signs.
(b) 
The building official may require in writing, upon issuance of a permit, that he be notified for inspection prior to the installation of certain signs.
(1966 Code, § 25½-33)
The following types of signs, provided such signs are not electrified, are exempt from permit requirements, but must be in conformance with all other requirements of this chapter:
(a) 
Agricultural signs not more than 32 square feet in area.
(b) 
Construction signs of 32 square feet or less.
(c) 
Directional/information signs of eight square feet or less.
(d) 
Nameplates of two square feet or less and fastened directly to the building; one per occupancy.
(e) 
Exempt political signs, except any such sign, including a billboard, that contains primarily a political message on a temporary basis and that is generally available for rent or purchase to carry commercial advertising or other messages that are not primarily political.
(f) 
Real estate signs not more than 12 square feet in single-family or low density residential districts and 32 square feet per face for multifamily residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural.
(g) 
Incidental signs.
(h) 
Window signs.
(i) 
Flags:
(1) 
Noncommercial flags bearing the official design of a nation, state, municipality, educational institution or noncommercial organization.
(2) 
Commercial flags advertising a business, product or service and limited to one per premises, not to exceed 48 square feet.
(j) 
Identification signs, wall or ground signs which are limited to not more than two per street frontage, not more than four square feet per sign in area, and not more than ten feet in height above grade.
(k) 
Repair or maintenance of existing signs: Any sign being repainted where the painting constitutes the only alteration to the sign, when the sign is not being enlarged or structurally altered, and further provided that the painting is done with the sign structure in place. Service on any electric sign consisting only of the replacement of electrically identical components.
(l) 
Any changing of copy to be done on poster panels.
(m) 
Temporary/special events signs approved by the city manager after consultation with the building official, traffic safety coordinator and planning director.
(1966 Code, § 25½-34; Ordinance 1997-107, § II, adopted 11/24/1997; Ordinance 2004-15, § 2, adopted 2/9/2004)
(a) 
In obtaining a permit, the applicant may apply to the building official for a variance from certain requirements of this chapter. A variance may be granted where the literal application of this chapter would create a particular hardship for the sign user and the following criteria are met:
(1) 
A literal application of this chapter would not allow the property to be used at its highest and best use as zoned.
(2) 
The granting of the requested variance would not be materially detrimental to the property owners in the vicinity.
(3) 
The hardship caused the sign user under a literal interpretation of this chapter is due to conditions unique to that property and does not apply generally to the city.
(4) 
The granting of the variance would not be contrary to the general objectives of this chapter.
(b) 
In granting a variance, the board of commissioners may attach additional requirements necessary to carry out the spirit and purpose of this chapter in the public interest.
(1966 Code, § 25½-84)