No sign shall be erected, re-erected, constructed, painted, posted, applied, altered, structurally revised, or repaired except as provided in this chapter. A separate permit shall be required for a sign or signs for each business entity and/or a separate permit for each group of signs or a single supporting structure installed simultaneously. Thereafter, each additional sign erected on the structure must have a separate permit.
(Ord. 1591 § 466, 2014)
The following shall not require a sign permit; however, these exemptions shall not be construed as relieving the owner of a sign from planning review for compliance with zoning and design guidelines, the responsibility of its erection and maintenance in accordance with the Building Code (Title 14 DMMC) and its compliance with the provisions of this chapter or any other law or ordinance regulating the same:
(1) 
The changing of the advertising copy or message on a lawfully erected, painted, or printed sign, theater marquee, or similar signs specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.
(2) 
Painting, repainting or cleaning of a lawfully erected sign structure or the changing of the advertising copy or message thereon and other normal maintenance unless a structural or electrical change is made.
(3) 
Temporary decorations customary for special holidays, such as Christmas and Independence Day, erected entirely on private property.
(4) 
Real estate signs subject to the following requirements:
(a) 
Signs shall not exceed eight square feet in Residential Zones and 24 square feet in Commercial Zones.
(b) 
Signs shall be limited to one sign per street frontage on the premises for sale, lease, or rent, and five portable directional signs to such property.
(c) 
Portable off-premises directional real estate signs providing directions to an open house at a specified residence or commercial building that is offered for sale or rent are permitted only when:
(i) 
Signs are not placed on trees, foliage, utility poles, or placed on or interfere with official traffic control devices and their support structures installed by the City Traffic Engineer or the state.
(ii) 
Each sign does not exceed four square feet in area and 36 inches in height.
(iii) 
The agent or seller is physically present at the property for sale or rent.
(iv) 
The total number of directional signs is limited to five.
(v) 
Each sign if located in the public right-of-way is subject to the requirements and regulations of subsections (12)(e) through (k) of this section.
(vi) 
The signs may only be in place on the day of the open house.
(5) 
On-premises information signs guiding or directing traffic onto or off of a lot or within a lot, incidental signs, and internal information signs not over eight square feet in area and do not exceed six feet in height. The information or copy displayed by or on any internal informational sign shall be limited to only those letters and/or symbols necessary to convey the required message in as brief a manner as reasonably possible and shall not advertise in any manner the facility occupying the premises nor goods or services available nor hours of operation.
(6) 
Political signs subject to the following requirements:
(a) 
Political signs promoting or publicizing candidates for public office or issues that are to be voted upon in a general or special election may be displayed on private property. Such signs shall be removed within 10 days following the election; provided, that signs promoting successful candidates in a primary election may remain displayed until 10 days following the immediately subsequent general election.
(b) 
It is prohibited for any person to paste, paint, affix, or fasten a political sign on any tree, foliage, utility pole, on any public building or structure, or on or to interfere with any official traffic control device and their support structures installed by the City Traffic Engineer or the state.
(c) 
Political signs posted within public right-of-way are subject to the requirements and regulations of subsections (12)(e) through (k) of this section. Additionally, political signs in the right-of-way are limited to a maximum surface area of four square feet and a maximum height of five feet.
(d) 
It shall be the responsibility of the candidate to have the signs removed.
(7) 
One nonelectrical and nonilluminated business identification wall sign not over 36 square feet in area if allowed in that zone.
(8) 
One on-premises nonilluminated bulletin board not over 24 square feet in area for a charitable or religious organization.
(9) 
For each street frontage of the premises, one nonilluminated temporary construction sign denoting the architect, engineer, and/or contractor when placed on work under construction, and not exceeding 32 square feet in area.
(10) 
Memorial signs or tablets, including names of buildings, and date of erection when cut into a masonry surface or when constructed of bronze or other noncombustible materials.
(11) 
Nonelectrical identification signs which contain no more than the name and address of the dweller or tenant of a residence shall be allowed. Only one such sign not over two square feet in area shall be allowed for each street frontage of a residential dwelling within the City.
(12) 
Portable signs located in the public right-of-way subject to the following requirements:
(a) 
Signs shall not be affixed to the ground, including through the use of stakes or other means that may damage property.
(b) 
No more than two signs are allowed per business and no person may have more than two signs at any one time.
(c) 
Sign area shall neither exceed six square feet per sign face nor 36 inches in height.
(d) 
Signs are allowed only during the hours of operation of the business or for the duration of special events and must be taken indoors each day.
(e) 
Signs may not be placed on or attached to other objects, including but not limited to buildings, structures, trees, plants, utility poles, utility boxes, utility equipment, other signs, or on or to interfere with any official traffic control device and their support structures installed by the City Traffic Engineer or the state.
(f) 
Signs shall not be placed in a manner that interferes with vehicle, bicycle, wheelchair, or pedestrian sight line views, or travel.
(g) 
Signs shall not be placed in street medians or traffic islands.
(h) 
Signs shall not be placed in a manner that will damage City landscaping, irrigation or other City infrastructure or obstruct a drainage system. Any damage as the result of the placement of the portable sign will be the responsibility of the owner of the sign.
(i) 
Signs shall have a professional appearance and be maintained in good condition so as to preserve the aesthetic value of the total environment.
(j) 
Signs shall have a name and contact phone number or other contact information on them.
(k) 
Signs placed in violation of this subsection (12) are subject to immediate removal and may be subject to destruction by the City, without prior notice. If the owner of the sign is present at the time of removal, the owner is given an opportunity to remove the sign immediately.
(13) 
Signs used exclusively for:
(a) 
Display of official notices used by any court, public body, or official, or for the posting of notices by any public officer in the performance of a public duty, or by any person in giving legal notice; provided, however, that such notices are subject to the requirements and regulations of subsections (12)(e) through (k) of this section.
(b) 
Official directional, warning, or information signs of a public or nonprofit entity erected by or with the approval of the City; provided, however, the design and placement of such signs shall be subject to the approval of the City Manager or the City Manager's designee and, if located in the public right-of-way, shall require a right-of-way use permit and shall be subject to the requirements and regulations of subsections (12)(e) through (k) of this section. All such signs shall be installed by or under the direction of the City Manager or the City Manager's designee and may be removed by the City if they become damaged, unsightly, or otherwise fall into a state of disrepair. Upon such removal, replacement signs may be installed. The City Manager or the City Manager's designee is authorized to establish a fee schedule for labor, equipment, and materials expended from public funds for installation of signs and/or posts.
(14) 
Official traffic control devices and their support structures installed by the City Traffic Engineer or state.
(15) 
Signs not intended to be viewed from and not readable from off premises.
(16) 
Window merchandise displays.
(17) 
Point-of-purchase advertising displays, such as product dispensers.
(18) 
National flags, flags of political subdivisions and symbolic flags of an institution.
(19) 
Barber poles.
(20) 
Historic site markers and plaques.
(21) 
Gravestones.
(22) 
Structures intended for separate use, such as phone booths.
(23) 
Identification signs upon recycling collection containers or other collection containers for public, charitable or nonprofit organizations.
(24) 
Lettering or symbols painted directly onto or flush-mounted magnetically onto an operable motor vehicle operating in the normal course of business.
(25) 
Sculptures, fountains, mosaics, or other public art features that do not incorporate advertising or identification of a business or product.
(26) 
Temporary construction signs subject to the following standards:
(a) 
Sign shall not exceed 32 square feet.
(b) 
No more than one sign is allowed per street frontage.
(c) 
Sign shall be removed upon completion of the project, except as provided in DMMC § 18.200.140.
(Ord. 1591 § 467, 2014; Ord. 1655 § 18, 2016)
Applications for sign permits shall be made to the City Manager or the City Manager's designee upon forms provided by the City.
(1) 
Applications for sign permits shall be accompanied by:
(a) 
Two site (plat) plans showing the location of the affected lot, building or buildings, and sign or signs, showing both existing signs and awnings and the proposed sign;
(b) 
Two copies of a scale drawing of the proposed sign or sign revision, including size, height, copy, structural and footing details, material specifications, methods of attachment, illumination, landscaping, front and end views of awning, sample of canvas, calculations for dead load and wind pressure, photograph of site and building marked to show where sign or awning is proposed, and any other information required to ensure compliance with appropriate laws;
(c) 
Written consent of the owner of the building, structure, or property where the sign is to be erected;
(d) 
A permit fee as set by written administrative directive.
(2) 
Exceptions.
(a) 
The City Manager or the City Manager's designee may waive submission of plans and specifications when the structural aspect is of minor importance.
(b) 
If the sign to be installed is to replace a nonconforming sign, the permit and plan check fees may be waived at the discretion of the City Manager or the City Manager's designee.
(Ord. 1591 § 468, 2014)
(1) 
All signs controlled by this chapter are subject to periodic inspection by the inspector. The inspector shall keep records reflecting inspection dates and results thereof.
(2) 
Footing inspections shall be made by the inspector for all signs having footings.
(3) 
Every new sign shall bear the permit number and date of issue prominently and permanently affixed.
(4) 
Every temporary sign requiring a permit shall bear a legible notation of its expiration date.
(5) 
If the inspector is required to reinspect a new installation due to no fault of the inspector, a reinspection fee shall be charged in accordance with administration directive.
(Ord. 1591 § 469, 2014)
No variances are permitted from the requirement of this chapter; provided, however, that nothing prevents any interested party from appealing administrative decisions in accordance with the Hearing Examiner code.
(Ord. 1591 § 470, 2014)
The City Manager or the City Manager's designee is authorized to grant a special use permit for the following purposes:
(1) 
Temporary signs, banners and/or posters not exceeding 40 square feet, strings of pennants, ribbons, flags, streamers, balloons, spinners, or other devices of a carnival nature may be permitted for temporary or special events, such as a grand opening, but such use shall not exceed 45 days within a three-month period. No more than three types of temporary signs may be displayed at any one time.
(2) 
Temporary signs exceeding 40 square feet but not exceeding 200 square feet may be permitted for temporary or special events, such as a grand opening, but such use shall not exceed 45 days. Only five such permits shall be issued to any business during a calendar year. The total aggregate of temporary signs shall be no more than 400 square feet.
(3) 
Inflatable displays exceeding 40 square feet and searchlights may be permitted for temporary or special events, such as a grand opening, but such use shall not exceed 10 days. Only three such permits shall be issued to any business during a calendar year.
(4) 
Off-premises directional signs advertising group sales of single-family residences or condominiums; provided, the following conditions shall apply:
(a) 
Each sign permitted under this section may contain two sign faces, each of which is no larger than 16 square feet, and no more than two signs per group sale shall be permitted;
(b) 
The maximum height of any such sign shall be eight feet from grade;
(c) 
The maximum duration of any such sign shall be 90 days or whenever the property advertised in the sign is sold, whichever occurs first; provided, the special permit may be renewed and reissued for additional 90-day periods if the property advertised in the sign has not been sold;
(d) 
An applicant who is granted a permit under this section shall relinquish the general privilege to place three off-premises directional signs per property under the provisions of DMMC § 18.200.070 but shall be permitted to place an additional three off-premises directional signs for the entire group sale; provided, such signs comply with the requirements in DMMC § 18.200.070.
(Ord. 1591 § 471, 2014)