A. 
Permit Required. No person shall erect, alter or relocate any sign requiring a permit under this chapter without first submitting a sign permit application and receiving approval of the sign permit from the city, unless the sign is identified as exempt under PMC § 20.84.030 (Exemptions). Some sign types may be regulated under other codes adopted by the city, which may require additional permits that are subject to additional regulations, including, but not limited to, the building code (PMC Title 17) and right-of-way permits (Chapter 13.12 PMC). Signs for which permits are not required shall nonetheless comply with all applicable provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Review Procedures. The following steps shall be followed in the processing of sign permit applications:
1. 
Determination of complete application (PMC § 16.20.040).
2. 
Notice of decision by community development manager (PMC § 16.50.100).
3. 
Administrative appeal – open record hearing, to hearing examiner (Chapter 16.60 PMC).
C. 
Application Requirements. A complete sign permit application shall consist of the following:
1. 
Application Form. A completed sign permit application, including the applicant's name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. If the applicant is not the property owner, then the property owner must be identified, and the application must include an affidavit from the property owner, verifying that the property owner has given permission to the applicant for the submission of the sign permit application and for the installation/posting of the sign on the property owner's property.
2. 
Other Permit Applications. A completed building permit application, if required under the city's building code; a completed right-of-way use permit application, if required under Chapter 13.12 PMC; a completed temporary use permit application, if required under Chapter 16.100 PMC.
3. 
Building Elevation/Site Plan. Signs proposed to be mounted on a building require a building elevation drawn to scale that specifies the location of the sign and drawings or photographs which show the scale of the sign in context with the building. Freestanding signs require a site plan indicating the proposed sign location as it relates to property lines, adjacent streets, and adjacent buildings.
4. 
Scaled Design Drawing. A colored rendering or scaled drawing including dimensions of all sign faces and descriptions of materials to be used, including color samples.
5. 
Scaled Installation Drawing. A scaled drawing that includes the sign description, proposed materials, size, weight, manner of construction and method of attachment, including all hardware necessary for proper sign installation.
6. 
Lighting. A drawing indicating the location and fixture type of all exterior lighting for the proposed signs. The drawing shall specify wattage and bulb type to ensure compatibility with the lighting standards in PMC § 20.84.090 (Sign illumination).
7. 
Master Sign Plan. If the sign is subject to a master sign plan as described in PMC § 20.84.060 (Master sign plans), a master sign plan must be included as part of a complete sign permit, unless a master sign plan for the site or building has already been approved and is on file with the city.
8. 
Fees. Payment of the appropriate sign permit fee.
D. 
Criteria for Approval. Sign permit applications shall be reviewed by the community development manager for consistency with the standards in this chapter, according to sign type and other applicable regulations. A sign permit shall not issue unless the manager makes findings that the criteria applicable to each sign type, as well as the general standards in this chapter, are satisfied. Building permit applications associated with signs shall be reviewed by the building official for consistency with the building code. If the sign uses electrical wiring and connections, a licensed electrician must submit a copy of the electrical permit application to the community development department, with the original submitted for approval to the state of Washington. If the sign requires a right-of-way use or temporary use permit, the application shall be submitted with the sign permit application for review by the public works or community development manager.
E. 
Notice of Final Decision. A notice of decision incorporating the decision on the sign permit application shall issue not more than 120 days after issuance of the determination of completeness. This deadline shall not apply if master sign plan approval, a right-of-way use permit or a special event permit is required.
F. 
Expiration of Sign Permit. Once the sign permit for the sign issues, the sign must be installed within 180 days or the sign permit will expire. Building permits and street right-of-way use permits shall expire in accordance with other applicable code provisions. No sign may be erected if the sign permit has expired, even if the associated building permit and/or street right-of-way use permit has not expired.
(Ord. 1965 § 2, 2017)
A. 
Approval Required. Before the city will issue any sign permit relating to space in a proposed nonresidential, multitenant building(s), or multitenant site development, the city must first approve a master sign plan for the building(s). In addition, a master sign plan may be voluntarily developed and maintained by the owner or agent of any new or existing nonresidential use.
B. 
Review Procedures. The community development manager shall make the decision on the master sign plan without a hearing. The following steps shall be followed in the processing of a master sign plan:
1. 
Determination of complete application (PMC § 16.20.040).
2. 
Notice of decision by manager (PMC § 16.50.100).
3. 
Administrative appeal (if any) (open record hearing, hearing examiner).
C. 
Application Requirements. A complete master sign plan application shall consist of the following:
1. 
A complete master sign plan application, including the applicant's name, address, phone number and e-mail address. If the applicant is not the property owner(s), then the property owner(s) must be identified and the application must include an affidavit from the property owner(s), verifying that the property owner(s) has given permission to the applicant for the submission of the master sign plan application. No sign may be placed upon real property without the consent of the real property owner(s);
2. 
A site plan drawn to legible scale, indicating the location of all buildings, driveways and pavement areas, landscape areas, abutting streets and proposed freestanding signs on the site;
3. 
Elevation drawings of each building on a site that indicate proposed sign locations on each of the buildings;
4. 
Maximum allowable signage on each elevation based upon a five percent calculation of all facades;
5. 
The master sign plan application shall identify the sign features and sign types proposed to be used on each building and the proposed location;
6. 
A narrative description of the development to demonstrate that the master sign plan meets the required design standards of this section; and
7. 
Fees. Payment of the appropriate fee for a master sign plan.
D. 
Criteria for Approval. All signs in the master sign plan must meet the criteria for approval in PMC § 20.84.050 (Sign permits). In addition, all of the signs in the master sign plan:
1. 
Shall be architecturally similar and visually related to each other through the incorporation of common design elements. Up to two sign types may be used on any one building. All sign cabinets, trim caps and all sign supports such as poles and braces shall be of a common color;
2. 
Shall be architecturally integrated with the buildings included in the master sign plan; and
3. 
Must not obscure the view of other signs which are consistent with this chapter.
E. 
Notice of Final Decision. See PMC § 20.84.050(E) (Sign permits).
F. 
Expiration of Master Sign Plan. Once a master sign plan is approved, the signs depicted in the approved plan must be installed within 180 days or the master sign plan will expire. Building permits and street right-of-way permits for any signs shown in the master sign plan shall expire in accordance with other applicable code provisions. No sign may be erected under an expired master sign plan, even if the associated sign permit, building permit or street right-of-way use permit has not expired.
G. 
Amendment to Master Sign Plan. An application for an amendment to an approved master sign plan may be made at any time, subject to the same limitations, requirements and procedures as those that apply to an original application in this section. Tenants whose signs are included in the amendment application need the property owner's consent to file such application. In order to approve any such amendment, the manager shall consider the existing signs on the building(s) subject to the approved plan when determining whether the application meets the criteria for approval in subsection D of this section.
(Ord. 1965 § 2, 2017)
A. 
Approval Required. A variance may be granted from the strict application of the regulations in this chapter which apply to: (1) sign placement on a parcel or building frontage; (2) sign area; or (3) sign height, as regulated in this chapter. A variance may not be granted to allow any prohibited signs or prohibited sign features as described in PMC § 20.84.040, or for any other purpose not listed in this subsection. The variance procedure in this section does not apply to any street right-of-way use permit or building permit.
B. 
Need for Sign Permit – Consolidation of Processing. A sign variance application may be submitted before or concurrent with the associated sign permit application. No sign permit application requiring a variance for issuance will be processed without a sign variance application unless the applicant specifically requests the application be processed without the variance.
C. 
Review Procedures. The following steps shall be followed in the processing of sign variance applications:
1. 
Determination of complete application (PMC § 16.20.040).
2. 
Notice of decision by community development manager (PMC § 16.50.100).
3. 
Administrative appeal, if any (open record hearing, hearing examiner).
D. 
Application Requirements. A complete sign variance application shall consist of the following:
1. 
Application Form. A completed sign variance application, including the applicant's name, address, phone number and e-mail address. If the applicant is not the property owner, then the property owner must be identified and the application must include an affidavit from the property owner, verifying that the property owner has given permission to the applicant for the submission of the sign variance application and for the installation/posting of the sign on the property owner's property.
2. 
Sign permit application (all of the materials required by PMC § 20.84.050, Sign permits). However, the applicant may submit a variance application without a sign permit application as provided in subsection B of this section.
3. 
A narrative report which describes the requested variance in detail. The report shall identify all of the sections of this chapter from which the applicant is requesting the variance, as well as the nature and extent of the variance (in size, area, location on the property, height).
4. 
The narrative report shall also include the applicant's description of the manner in which the sign variance satisfies all of the variance criteria in subsection E of this section.
5. 
Fees. Payment of the appropriate sign variance application fee.
E. 
Variance Criteria for Approval. Sign variance applications shall be reviewed by the community development manager to determine whether all of the following criteria are satisfied. In order to approve any sign variance, the manager must make written findings to show that all of the following criteria have been met:
1. 
The request for a sign variance is due to unusual conditions pertaining to sign visibility needs for a specific building or lot; and
2. 
The sign will not create a hazard; and
3. 
The sign will not violate any state statute or any city code provision (other than the ones identified in this chapter relating to signs); and
4. 
The sign will not negatively affect adjacent property; and
5. 
The sign will be in keeping with the general character of the surrounding area and the granting of the variance would not result in an alteration of the essential character of the surrounding area; and
6. 
The proposed variance is consistent with the purposes and intent of the zoning code and the purposes of this chapter; and
7. 
The variance is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan; and
8. 
The applicant has established that there are practical difficulties in complying with the provision(s) of this chapter and that the proposed sign is a reasonable use of the property (economic considerations alone do not constitute practical difficulties); and
9. 
The plight of the applicant is due to circumstances unique to the property, which were not created by the applicant or landowner; and
10. 
The variance will not permit any sign or use that is not allowed in the zoning district where the affected land is located, nor will it allow any sign or sign feature prohibited under PMC § 20.84.040.
F. 
First Amendment Exception/Variance. Where an applicant can demonstrate that the strict application of the regulations in this chapter would violate his/her First Amendment rights, the city may grant a variance that does not conform to all of the variance criteria in subsection E of this section. The applicant must still submit an application which conforms to this section. In order to approve such an exception/variance, the city need not make findings that all of the variance criteria in subsection E of this section have been satisfied, but if not all criteria have not been satisfied, the variance may only be granted to the extent reasonably necessary to protect the applicant's First Amendment rights. If a First Amendment exception/variance is granted, it shall be treated as an approval of a variance for the purposes of this chapter.
G. 
Notice of Final Decision. A notice of decision incorporating the decision on the variance application shall issue not more than 120 days after issuance of the determination of complete application.
H. 
Expiration of Variance. If the variance is approved, the sign identified in the variance must be installed within 180 days or the variance will expire. No sign may be erected without a sign permit if the variance or the sign permit has expired, even if the applicant has received associated building permits or street right-of-way use permits, and the latter have not expired.
(Ord. 1965 § 2, 2017)
A. 
Nonconforming Signs. Any lawful nonconforming sign may be continued, as long as it is maintained only in the manner and to the extent that it existed at the time it became nonconforming. Illegal signs shall not be considered nonconforming signs. Nonconforming signs are subject to the provisions of (zoning code) Chapter 20.12 PMC (Nonconforming Uses and Structures).
B. 
Maintenance. It is unlawful for any owner of record, lessor, lessee, manager or other person having lawful possession or control over a building, structure or parcel of land to fail to maintain any signs on the building, structure or parcel in compliance with this chapter and the zoning code. Failure to maintain a sign constitutes a violation of this chapter, and shall be subject to enforcement under the provisions of code enforcement, Chapter 20.82 PMC.
1. 
Sign Maintenance. All signs, whether or not in existence prior to adoption of this chapter, shall be maintained. Maintenance of a sign shall include periodic cleaning, replacement of flickering, burned out or broken light bulbs or fixtures, repair or replacement of any faded, peeled, cracked or otherwise damaged or broken parts of a sign, and any other activity necessary to restore the sign so that it continues to comply with the requirements and contents of the sign permit issued for its installation and provisions of this chapter.
2. 
Landscape Maintenance. Required landscaped areas associated with an approved sign shall receive regular repair and maintenance. Plant materials that do not survive after installation in required landscape areas are required to be replaced within six months of the plant's demise or within the next planting season, whichever event first occurs.
3. 
Removal. Any vacant and/or unused sign support structures, angle irons, sign poles or other remnants of old signs which are currently not in use, or are not proposed for immediate reuse by a sign permit application for a permitted sign, shall be removed. In addition to the remedies in code enforcement, Chapter 20.82 PMC, the manager shall have the authority to require the repair, maintenance or removal of any sign or sign structure which has become dilapidated or represents a hazard to the safety, health or welfare of the public, at the cost of the sign and/or property owner.
4. 
Enforcement. Violations of the provisions of this chapter shall be enforced according to code enforcement, Chapter 20.82 PMC.
(Ord. 1965 § 2, 2017)