Nonconforming existing signs.
(A) 
A sign that does not conform to the regulations prescribed in this code and that existed lawfully on the date of adoption of this chapter or amendment hereto shall be deemed a nonconforming sign. A nonconforming sign may be maintained.
(B) 
The right to continue all nonconforming signs shall cease and such sign shall be removed whenever:
(1) 
An approved application for certificate of occupancy or a certificate of occupancy for a change of business or ownership is issued as provided in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and a sign is associated with the previous business or ownership.
(2) 
A change of occupancy classification occurs as described in the building code and a sign is associated with the classification change.
(3) 
A sign is altered, moved or relocated.
(4) 
A sign is destroyed and the cost to repair exceeds 50 percent of the replacement cost of the sign and support structure on the date of damage.
(5) 
A sign leans such that an angle between the sign and the ground is 70° or less.
(6) 
A sign that has fallen onto the ground.
(7) 
An occupancy change occurs as described in divisions (B) (1) or (2) of this section and an off-premises or on-premises wall sign is on the property.
(8) 
A sign is modified without a permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(C) 
Signs designated by official action of the city as having special historic or architectural significance are exempt from division (B) of this section.
(D) 
A nonconforming general business sign situated on a property acquisition initiated by the city may be relocated on site provided the sign is removed or rebuilt to conform to those ordinances within two years. Relocation is limited to the same physical sign with no increase in height, area, or change in other physical attributes. The setback of the sign shall comply with the Visibility Ordinance. For purposes of this provision, "A property acquisition initiated by city" does not include right-of-way dedicated in the subdivision plat process.
(Ordinance 3899, § 2, adopted 3/19/2019)
(A) 
General. Certain nonconforming commercial billboards may be modified to become digital billboards subject to the restrictions in this section.
(B) 
Application. The owner of the sign must submit a digital billboard permit application for a face modification to the Building Inspection Department together with the application fee as required for building permits. The owner of the proposed tract shall sign the application also. After the City Manager or designee approves the digital billboard sign permit, the owner must apply for a demolition permit to remove sign face area in accordance with subsection (C)(4). The owner must complete demolition of sign face area according to the applicable ratio in subsection (C)(4) before the sign face is modified.
(C) 
Compliance required.
(1) 
Except as provided in this section, digital billboards must fully comply with the size, height, spacing, setback, and other restrictions in this article for relocated commercial billboards as outlined in section 151.72.
(2) 
Digital billboard sign support structures must be built to comply with the adopted building code of the City of Carrollton.
(3) 
Digital billboards signs must comply with title 43 Texas Administrative Code sections 21.252—21-260 "Electronic Signs," as amended.
(4) 
Both existing and new digital signs must comply with all lighting and safety standards mandated by federal, state, or local rules or statutes, including standards adopted or amended after the date of passage of these requirements. Lighting and safety standards include brightness; message duration; and proximity of the sign to other digital displays, ramps, and interchanges.
(D) 
Sign face exchange ratio.
(1) 
For each digital sign face that is erected, three static full billboard sign faces within the city must be removed.
(2) 
To receive credit for the area of a conventional face removed, the conventional sign face removed must result in elimination of a sign structure (if a face is removed from a structure, the entire structure must be removed).
(E) 
Digital sign support structures.
(1) 
Support structures must be entirely surrounded by a brick or stone veneer or perforated metal. Other sustainable materials having a similar appearance may be approved by the Board of Adjustment.
(2) 
Ladders shall be integrated into the pole surround in such a way that they do not protrude beyond the face of the surround.
(3) 
Torsion bars shall be completely screened and covered by perforated metal. No corrugated metal may be used.
(4) 
All exposed metal shall be painted with a matte black finish.
(F) 
Change of message. Changes of message must comply with the following:
(1) 
Message cycle for changing messages is limited to a minimum eight seconds.
(2) 
Changes of message must be accomplished within two seconds.
(3) 
Changes of message must occur simultaneously on the entire sign face.
(4) 
No flashing, dimming, or brightening of message is permitted except to accommodate changes of message.
(G) 
Due to requirements in the state law regarding spacing and placement, a maximum number of digital billboards will be permitted in the city. The City Manager or designee shall stamp all digital billboard permit applications upon receipt and review them in order of submittal. If the City Manager or designee determines that an application is incomplete or does not meet the requirements of this chapter, he or she shall reject the application and then review the next application. If the number of applications (which are complete and meet the requirements of this chapter) received during the period of 7:30 a.m. on September 17, 2012 (which is the first day to file an application under this section) to 5:30 p.m. on October 1, 2012 exceeds the number of digital billboards allowed due to state law regarding spacing and placement or any other regulation, the City Manager or designee shall provide a lottery to distribute the permits among the acceptable applications. If required, the lottery shall occur at City Hall on October 15, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.
(H) 
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to change the legal status of any converted commercial billboard from its current nonconforming or illegal status.
(Ordinance 3899, § 2, adopted 3/19/2019)
In the event that any property in the City of Carrollton upon which a commercial billboard sign is located if fully or partially acquired by a governmental unit for widening or reconstruction of United States Interstate Highway-35E (IH-35E), or for constructing an overpass across IH-35E, the commercial billboard shall be allowed to be moved from its original location to another location along IH-35E which complies with the regulations of the State of Texas. The new location must comply with the following conditions and all other codes and ordinances of the city:
(A) 
An application for the new location shall be made to the Building Inspection Department together with an application fee as required for building permits. The owner of the proposed tract of land shall sign the application.
(B) 
The commercial billboard shall be located no further east than the western right-of-way of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit/Union Pacific Railroad tracks, except for that area 50 feet on either side of the President George Bush Turnpike right-of-way, at which location the commercial billboard may be placed no further than the eastern right-of-way of those railroad tracks. The commercial billboard shall be located no further than 750 feet west of the western right-of-way of IH-35E.
(C) 
The reconstructed commercial billboard shall be limited to a sign with the same physical characteristics as the original sign with no changes in area or other physical attributes. A commercial billboard currently constructed with wooden poles may be reconstructed using a single metal pole. The reconstructed commercial billboard may be increased in height only if the new location is affected by the overpass that required its removal. In that event, the sign may not be erected to exceed an overall height of 42½ feet measured from the highest point of the sign to the grade level of the ramp over IH-35E.
(D) 
The commercial billboard shall be located on the new site so as to provide the maximum development potential of the site. Relocated billboards shall be subject to the following setbacks:
(1) 
Five feet from the new R.O.W. line to the edge of the face of the relocated billboard.
(2) 
Ten feet from side property lines to any part of the billboard structure or face.
(3) 
Ten feet from all buildings to any part of the billboard structure or face.
(4) 
Five hundred feet from any other billboard on the same side of the highway.
(E) 
All relocated billboards shall meet the requirements of the city's adopted building code and must be painted with a matte black finish.
(F) 
Relocated billboards must comply with title 43 Texas Administrative Code chapter 21, as amended.
(G) 
Electronically displayed messages shall be prohibited except for new digital electronic billboard faces permitted under section 151.71. Flashing or strobe lights shall be prohibited on all signs or billboards.
(H) 
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to change the legal status of any relocated commercial billboard from its current nonconforming or illegal status.
(Ordinance 3899, § 2, adopted 3/19/2019)
In the event that a commercial billboard sign is partially acquired by a governmental unit for widening or reconstruction of any right-of-way, the commercial billboard may be cut off even with the right-of-way line and allowed to remain in the same location. All permits required by ordinance shall be obtained prior to commencement of such work.
(Ordinance 3899, § 2, adopted 3/19/2019)